In this case study, Dr Vassiliki Bamiatzi, Professor of Strategy and International Business at the University of Sussex Business School, talks about her involvement in COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning). 

What we did  

Our COIL partnership was with the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). My module (which is core for International Business students but optional for others) is based on a simulation game in which students compete in groups of 5 or 6 as they make decisions about their respective companies. COIL can be incorporated in many ways, and to create a more authentic collaborative experience in my modules, students from the UNAM joined teams as consultants to offer guidance and strategic advice. The great thing about COIL is that international collaboration is easily facilitated using technology that students are already familiar with, such as WhatsApp, Facebook or Viber.  

Why we did it  

The Business School is keen to expand our COIL offerings. This is because cultural awareness and cultural competencies are essential in today’s world. Not all students can participate in study abroad programmes so COIL is an inclusive and accessible way for all students to deepen their cultural awareness. To highlight the importance of international collaboration, I led an additional seminar in this module on the changing workplace and the importance of global teams. We discussed the problems and challenges of global engagement in the workplace, which students experienced for themselves as they navigated language and time differences.  

Impact and student feedback 

Student engagement varied across both modules. Students from the University of Mexico were extremely motivated and provided detailed feedback. For those students, who are predominately of Mexican origin, the COIL initiative offered them the opportunity to connect with students from around the world and experience first-hand how global teams are collaborating and evolving. However, some of my students were not as engaged in the COIL component as I would have hoped. This is perhaps because students on the International Business course are already a very diverse cohort and are already familiar with the benefits of teamworking with international partners. While I think that the experience was beneficial for all, I imagine that it would have the most impact for modules that are not as culturally diverse. 

Challenges 

This was my first experience of including a COIL element in my International Business Strategy module and there were a few challenges along the way. From a student-perspective, the first challenge was that it created another barrier for international students who have less facility in English. The second challenge was the time difference; the UK has a seven hour difference with Mexico which further complicated the collaboration among the teams, despite the virtual facilities of the engagement. From an administrative point of view, it was difficult and time-consuming organising students into groups. I hope to solve this problem next time by organising our students into companies and then asking faculty at the University of Mexico to assign consultants to each company.  

Future plans 

I plan on incorporating COIL in future modules, but I might consider working with a European University so that there is less of a time difference, which would make it easier for students to schedule group meetings. To simplify the collaborative process, I will ask students to assign each other specific roles within the group relating to the COIL collaboration. For instance, one student might coordinate with the international consultants whilst another records the minutes. I will also include a graded assignment that asks students to reflect on the COIL component of the modules, as I believe this will increase student engagement. I am also working with Educational Enhancement to develop resources for students that will help them to maximise their experience working with different technologies.  

Top tips 

What advice would you give another member of staff/department who wanted to 

emulate what you have done? Please give your top 3 tips for someone wanting to do something similar 

1. Educate the students on the benefits and challenges of this collaboration but also on how important this experience is for their professional development. Have a guest speaker from the industry to comment on this new reality for validation if possible. 

2. Allow time in class (or in the seminars) for students to reflect on their experience with their international collaborators and showcase best practices accordingly. Compare and contrast cases of high and low engagement (if available), so that it is easier for the students to appreciate the benefits of such a collaboration.  

3. Work closely with the International Team, who can provide you with amazing support throughout the engagement.