COIL idea and partner search

Are you thinking about preparing your students not only professionally but also interculturally in the best possible way for their future professional life? Do you want to improve the learning experience of your students through a special delivery of your course content?

Then why not enrich an existing course with a COIL cooperation? There are many courses where you can collaborate with an international partner.

The following reflective questions might help determine whether or not a course is suitable for a COIL collaboration (Source: SUNY COIL Center's Faculty Guide for Collaborative Online International Learning - Course Development):

• How could the course be enriched if your own students could discuss the same topic with peers from another foreign university?
• What components of your course could be prioritised to create time for in-depth discussion and collaboration?
• How could students' understanding of the course content be improved and the lessons enlivened?
• Are there projects that the two cohorts of students could develop together, or are there photos, videos or similar that students could share and discuss cross-culturally?
• What form of examination does the course have (presentations, seminar or written exams)?

Not only COIL cooperations in the same subject discipline are possible, but also interdisciplinary COIL projects. Just take a look at COIL/VE-Projects@HHN to see which projects have already been realised...

The next question is which partner you can cooperate with. By the way, COIL projects with more than one partner are also possible. There are many ways to find a COIL partner:

1. Personal network

If you already have colleagues at foreign (partner) universities in your professional network whom you know personally, then you can start directly with the conception of your COIL project.

2. Partnering Fair of the SUNY COIL Center

Several times a year, the SUNY COIL Center hosts a virtual Partnering Fair. This virtual meeting brings together professors from around the world who are interested in incorporating COIL collaborations into their courses.

This is done by filling out a short COIL Partnering Information Form in advance, indicating interests, expertise and course(s) one would like to design with COIL. Responses are published in a partnering journal ("bulletin") and emailed to all participants in advance of the virtual partnering fair.

The actual event - similar in form to speed dating - consists of an online session with break-out rooms for targeted getting-to-know-you sessions. These group rooms offer the opportunity to meet a variety of professors from different countries.  You can connect with those with whom you might want to form a COIL collaboration. As a member of the SUNY COIL Global Network, participation is free for HHN teachers.

3. Partnering Fair of UNICollaboration

UNICollaboration also organises partnering fairs in the field of Virtual Exchange. The aim of such a fair is to help members find new partners for their virtual exchange plans. During the event, the UNICollaboration team helps to establish contacts with others who are interested in developing a VE project and are looking for international cooperation partners. Registration is required in advance.

4. International seminars and trainings in COIL and Virtual Exchange

Both SUNY COIL Center ("COIL Design") and UNICollaboration ("Virtual Exchange Project Design") offer regular courses for teachers from all over the world who are interested in designing and implementing a COIL project. The costs are around 300 EUR p.p.

5. Partner universities

Heilbronn University has an extensive network of foreign partner universities. You can find an overview of the partner universities under this link. These can also be contacted with regard to a VE/COIL cooperation.