Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)
Is a dynamic approach to education that bridges geographic boundaries and fosters cross-cultural collaboration between university professors and students around the world.
COIL transforms traditional education by fostering global collaboration among professors and students without having to leave their home institutions. It promotes intercultural understanding, active learning, and flexible engagement.
COIL encourages collaboration between students from diverse backgrounds, enriches their educational experience, and prepares participants for an interconnected world. It also enhances cultural competence, expands professional networks, and fosters deeper learning outcomes. COIL´s innovative pedagogy and inherent flexibility allow for seamless integration into existing curricula.
COIL is…
An intercultural collaboration
COIL encourages collaboration between classes from different cultural backgrounds, fostering mutual understanding and appreciation for global perspectives.
An innovative pedagogy
COIL promotes active learning through collaborative projects, discussions, and multimedia presentations, enriching the educational experience for both professors and students.
An opportunity for flexible engagement
With COIL, participants have the flexibility to engage in online activities that fit their schedules, allowing for seamless integration into existing curricula and academic calendars.
Get Involved with COIL!
Our main areas of interests are sustainable development, global business, flourishing mindset, CSR, business education and beyond! We seek to prepare our students for a truly global business environment, using sustainable development
Whether you're a business school professor aiming to internationalize your curriculum and integrate sustainability as a global practice, or a student passionate about driving positive change, COIL offers a vibrant platform for meaningful engagement and cross-cultural exchange. Join us in shaping a more interconnected, sustainable business education and advancing progress towards the SDGs through collaborative online international learning.
If you´re interested in learning more about our COILs, reach out! [Isabel Rodríguez-Tejedo]
"Working with motivated students from diverse backgrounds was enriching. Despite challenges in the COIL version of the Aim2Flourish project, it was worth it. We gained understanding of SDGs and companies' strategies, developed soft skills, and made new international friends."
Alina Gaynullina, University of Navarra
"Participating in a COIL project in my third year of university was a significant academic milestone. Collaborating with teammates from diverse cultures was challenging yet enriching. With the accessibility of global collaboration tools, it's time to embrace them and explore endless possibilities together."
Amaya Vizmanos, University of Navarra
"In 2022, I joined COIL, collaborating globally with teammates from the US, Spain, and Canada. This experience broadened my perspective, introduced me to the metaverse and SDGs, and resulted in a publication on AIM2Flourish. It was truly enriching."
Ayom Benign Imartya Srihendra, IPMI
"I can honestly say I’m glad I got to experience this type of activity during my years at university. It helped me in many different areas of my life. It opened my mind to working with people from many different countries, with different backgrounds and ideologies. I was also able to learn more about time-management and organization."
Laura Tello, University of Navarra
COILers
Dr. Isabel Rodriguez-Tejedo
Person of contact
University of Navarra (Spain)
Dr. Ruben Burga
University of Guelph (Canada)
Dr. Amelia Naim
IPMI (Indonesia)
Dr. Anjali Chaudhry
Dominican University (USA)
Ferdinand Niyimbanira
University of Mpumalanga (South Africa)
Romina Hosseingholizadeh
University of Guelph (Canada)
Yang Hoong
University of Guelph (Canada)
Dr. Daniela Senkl
University of Guelph (Canada)
Merhnaz Ahmadian
University of Guelph (Canada)
Dr. Sandra Polania-Reyes
University of Navarra (Spain)
Dr. Bnar Jawdat Ahmed
Koya University (Iraq)
Soran Kakarash Omer
Koya University (Iraq)
Dr. Nisa Vinodkumar
Koya University (Iraq)
Liliana Harding
University of East Anglia (UK)
Bryan Buckley
University Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Dr.Mary Ragui
Kenyatta U (Kenya)
Output & Transference
• Stories in the Aim2Flourish competition
The following is a sample of the stories written for the AIM2Flourish competition by someCOIL teams, for a full list please visit www.aim2flourish.com
Sustainable wine
The body shop
Pioneering Protein Solutions for Tomorrow
Empowering Tomorrow: Changing South Africa’s Financial Landscape
Can You Box Right?
PepsiCo Positive: Planet + People
COIL Spring 2023-24. Poster room in the metaverse. Reflections on successful business innovations for sustainable development stories.
COIL Spring 2023-24. OER (open educational resource book). Student Reflections on Innovations and the SDGs: a COIL 2024 perspective 
Cover
COIL 2023-24 Poster Room in the metaverse (A Global Perspective of Business Innovations and the UN Sustainable Development Goals)
COIL 2022-23 Poster Room in the metaverse (Business Innovations for Sustainability: A COIL experience)
Physical poster presentation, 2022-23. Guelph (Canada).
Physical poster presentation. 2022-23 Pamplona (Spain).
Physical poster presentation, 2022. Guelph (Canada).
Norwich Economic Publications. COIL Podcast series. Introduction & Exemplary work
Physical poster presentation. 2021-22 Pamplona (Spain).
"Using COIL to address global economic challenges". Development in Economics Education Conference (Sept 2023, Edinburgh, UK), presented by Dr Liliana Harding. PDF
"A COIL Study for Business Innovation in Sustainability". 7th PRME NA Biennial Meeting (2024) at University of Victoria (Canada), presented by Drs Ruben Burga, Anjali Chaudhry and Isabel Rodriguez-Tejedo
"Significant learning in a Collaborative Online International Learning Platform". 84th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (August 2024, Chicago, Illinois, USA) presented by Drs Ruben Burga and Anjali Chaudhry
10th Responsible Management Education Research Conference Sept 2023, Lisboa (Portugal) Project showcase café: Establishing a COIL (collaborative online international learning) network for RME
10th Responsible Management Education Research Conference Sept 2023, Lisboa (Portugal) A Collaborative Online International Learning experience using AIM2Flourish to encourage reflection on the role of companies for sustainable development
XV Jornadas de Docencia en Economía. June 2023. Murcia (Spain). Grupos de trabajo internacionales para facilitar una perspectiva reflexiva sobre el papel de la empresa para un mundo más sostenible. Una experiencia “COIL” para integrar el aprendizaje de los ODS en la formación de empresa.
9th Responsible Management Education Research Conference Sept 2022, Innsbruck (Austria) How can business innovations help the SDGs: A COIL experience
6th PRME North America Conference 2022 at George Mason U in Virginia, (USA). Teaching Innovations: a cross-cultural experience incorporating the UN Sustainable Development Goals and a Sustainability Mindset - Burga, R. (U of Guelph), Rodriguez Tejedo, I. (U of Navarra), Naim A. (IPMI).
¿Qué es la metodología COIL? Sesión de formación para profesores, organizada por el Servicio de Planificación y Mejora de la Docencia (UNav, April 15th, 2024) By Dr Anjali Chaudhry and Dr Isabel Rodriguez-Tejedo
Webinar: Bridging borders virtually: COIL as a gateway to global experiences without travel. Organized by the UN PRME Working Group on Climate (May 10th, 2024) by Dr Isabel Rodriguez-Tejedo
Entrevista en Revista Campus (nº 29, marzo 2024): "Gracias a COIL los estudiantes aprenden a trabajar con personas que tienen culturas y experiencias distintas"
Projects and awards
Paper “Significant learning in a Collaborative Online International Learning Platform” recognized as "Best paper" (top 10% of accepted papers) at the 84th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM 2024)
Excellence Award for Research, awarded by PRME UN North America (2024)
2024 Finalist for the Premio Innova
(Award for Best Innovative Teaching Project) at the University of Navarra in the “Transfer” category (projects that promote collaboration and teacher involvement from other departments, centers, or institutions (companies, universities, public entities...))
2023 Principles for Responsible Management Education
(an initiative of the UN Global Compact) Faculty Award Recognition for Excellence in SDG integration, awarded to the project “Inspiring the Next Generation: SDG Advancement Through Collaborative International Learning (COIL)”
Teaching innovation project [University of Navarra, 2023-24]
Improving the "COIL" experience to integrate the learning of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into business training: how to achieve more integrated experiences.
Teaching innovation project [University of Navarra, 2022-23]
International groups to facilitate a reflective perspective on the role of the companies for a more sustainable world. A "COIL" experience to integrate the learning of the SDGs into business training.
Teaching innovation project [University of Navarra, 2021-22]
Celebrating business innovations as engines for the SDGs. An international collaboration to actively integrate the SDGs in business education.
Experiential Learning Fund
(Lang School of Business & Economics, U of Guelph, 2022) The Experiential Learning (EL) Travel Fund normally seeks to support projects and opportunities that will enrich the learning experience of our students at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Overall, the objective of the fund is to provide equitable access to students who are interested in participating in a field course or other type of experiential learning opportunity within the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics. All Lang instructors are eligible to apply. During Covid, the fund was used to fund experiential learning that did not include travel.
Past COILs
Spring semester
Business Innovations for Sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Participating universities and instructors:
University of Guelph (Canada) - Dr. Daniela Senkl
University of Guelph (Canada) - Dr. Ruben Burga
University of Guelph (Canada) - Merhnaz Ahmadian
IPMI (Indonesia) - Dr. Amelia Naim
Kenyatta University (Kenya) - Dr. Mary Ragui
University of Mpumalanga (South Africa) - Dr. Ferdinand Niyimbanira
University of Navarra (Spain) - Dr. Sandra Polania-Reyes
Koya University (Iraq) - Dr. Bnar Jawdat Ahmed
Koya University (Iraq) - Soran Kakarash Omer
Koya University/University of Guelph (Iraq/Canada) - Sophie Brown
Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (Saudi Arabia) - Dr. Nisa Vinodkumar
Brief description: Teams used the UN Sustainable development goals as a lens to reflect on business innovations that help make the world a better place. In global virtual teams students analyzed the stories of AIM2Flourish finalists (2020-2023) and reflected on the role of business in society.
Number or students: 200
FALL semester
A Global Perspective of Business Innovations and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Participating universities and instructors:
Dominican University (USA) - Dr. Anjali Chaudhry
University of Guelph (Canada) - Dr. Ruben Burga
University of Guelph (Canada) - Yang Hoong
University of Guelph (Canada) - Romina Hosseingholizadeh
IPMI (Indonesia) - Dr. Amelia Naim
Kenyatta University (Kenya) - Dr. Mary Ragui
University of Mpumalanga (South Africa) - Dr. Ferdinand Niyimbanira
University of Navarra (Spain) - Dr. Isabel Rodriguez-Tejedo
Brief description: Teams of students used appreciative inquiry interviews to explore business innovations. Together they created stories for publication on the AIM2Flourish, posters to share with the community and group reflections on their experiences during COIL and their views on the role of businesses in society.
Number or students: 422
Topics in international trade
Participating universities and instructors:
University of East Anglia (UK) - Dr Liliana Harding
University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign (USA) - Dr. Bryan Buckley
University of Navarra (Spain) - Dr. Isabel Rodriguez-Tejedo
Brief description: Teams explored topics of their choice around today´s main controversies in international trade. These included things like gender implications of globalization, the impact of the technological revolution on global supply chains, cross-border environmental concerns etc.
Number or students: 42
FALL semester
Business Innovations for Sustainability: A COIL experience
Participating universities and instructors:
Dominican University (USA) - Dr. Anjali Chaudhry
University of Guelph (Canada) - Dr. Ruben Burga
IPMI (Indonesia) - Dr. Amelia Naim
University of Navarra (Spain) - Dr. Isabel Rodriguez-Tejedo
Brief description: Teams of students used appreciative inquiry interviews to explore business innovations. Together they created stories for publication on the AIM2Flourish, posters to share with the community and group reflections on their experiences during COIL and their views on the role of businesses in society.
Number or students: 115
Topics in international trade
Participating universities and instructors:
University of East Anglia (UK) - Dr Liliana Harding
University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign (USA) - Dr. Bryan Buckley
University of Navarra (Spain) - Dr. Isabel Rodriguez-Tejedo
Brief description: Teams explored topics of their choice around today´s main controversies in international trade. These included things like gender implications of globalization, the impact of the technological revolution on global supply chains, cross-border environmental concerns etc.
Number or students: 38
SPRING semester
Critical Reflections on Innovative Flourishing Business in the Context of the UN SDGs: a cross-cultural perspective
Participating universities and instructors:
University of Guelph (Canada) - Dr. Ruben Burga
IPMI (Indonesia) - Dr. Amelia Naim
University of Navarra (Spain) - Dr. Isabel Rodriguez-Tejedo
Brief description: Teams used the UN Sustainable development goals as a lens to reflect on business innovations that help make the world a better place. To do, students analyzed the stories of AIM2Flourish finalists (2018-21) and reflected on the role of business in society.
Number or students: 122