One of the most significant trends in the internationalisation of higher education in Ukraine during 2022–2023 has been the adoption of the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) model. Training and capacity-building courses offered by international universities and educational organisations have become a reliable support mechanism for advancing education under martial law and have provided an innovative format for international collaboration, from course design to delivery, in a fully online setting.
The top management of Khmelnytskyi National University (KhNU) once again stands among the national leaders and innovators in COIL implementation. Vice-Rector Kateryna Skyba served as the initiator and key visionary behind the COIL collaboration between KhNU and UCLL University of Applied Sciences (Belgium). During a working meeting with Prof. Ilona Dumanska in May 2023, held in the context of an Erasmus+ mobility project with Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania), the idea of launching a COIL module in “International Business” — a course relevant to the educational programs of the Department of International Economic Relations — was first proposed.
Every idea starts with a first step toward action. COIL-based courses involve identifying a university partner, jointly designing the course, engaging academic staff in co-teaching, and fostering meaningful cooperation to achieve shared learning outcomes.
On June 12, 2023, an initial online meeting was held with Sven Cerulus, Head of International Relations at UCLL, and lecturer Fleur Deboutte. The very first discussion was highly productive, resulting in a plan to co-launch a joint COIL course in the spring semester of the 2023–2024 academic year (beginning in March 2024) and the exchange of contact information between faculty members.
Early collaboration and guidance were provided by KhNU Vice-Rector Kateryna Skyba and UCLL’s International Relations lead Sven Cerulus (Zoom, 12.06.2023)
Over the autumn semester, Ilona Dumanska and Fleur Deboutte held more than five working meetings online, culminating in the design of an ambitious course titled “Moving Minds: International Business.” The instructors formed a united team committed to uniting universities across Europe and promoting online learning among students identified as Moving Minds:
- always in movement;
- open in a complex world;
- ready for strong-minded students;
- who want to move toward the future together.
As a result of this collaboration, on March 7, 2024, Khmelnytskyi National University and UCLL University of Applied Sciences officially launched one of the largest COIL-based educational courses to date — “Moving Minds: International Business” — involving over 180 students from Ukraine and Belgium (compared to the typical 30 per group). The course cohort includes 74 students from KhNU and 109 students from UCLL. From KhNU, students come primarily from the Faculty of International Relations (groups: MLMS, MEV, MEVm, FPA), with participants from other faculties also joining the initiative.
The lecturers of the course are Fleur Deboutte (UCLL, Belgium) and Ilona Dumanska (KhNU, Ukraine), with Madeleine Meerts (UCLL, Belgium) serving as the course facilitator for project-based work. The course will last for 11 weeks, from March 7 to May 10, 2024, with a break for the Easter holidays (the academic schedule was coordinated with UCLL). Classes will be held twice a week: every Thursday and Friday, using Discord as the primary digital platform. During the course, the following educational trajectories will be supported:
– professional skills in participating in international projects aimed at building successful international business practices through cross-cultural and communication knowledge (interdisciplinary, communication, and organizational skills, soft skills, and self-management skills);
– international competencies (ICOM): intercultural and language competencies; global engagement; personal growth; international disciplinary learning;
– improvement in foreign language proficiency and knowledge of specific professional topics (international business, intercultural relations, etc.).
Already during the first week of the course (March 7–8, 2024), KhNU students were able to get acquainted with the course during an introductory briefing and became true Icebreakers through small group interaction with Belgian students. The activities involved working in small groups of up to 6 people (2 Ukrainian students and 4 Belgian students), during which it was necessary to:
- introduce themselves and get to know the other participants based on their interest in the individual (first round);
- present a team card "Being a Ukrainian is..." (for KhNU students), "Being a Belgian is..." (for UCLL students), and discuss in the subgroup (second round);
- complete additional tasks aimed at breaking communication barriers: find five similarities and five differences between Belgian and Ukrainian (school) cultures, and play the game "Two Truths and a Lie" about each group member (third round).
It is worth noting that Khmelnytskyi National University students demonstrated a high level of preparation and made a positive impression on UCLL instructors, which was communicated to Professor Ilona Dumanska during the first briefing with UCLL lecturers. The interest of students and the enthusiasm of colleagues toward this new model of learning is gaining momentum, indicating the promising potential of the COIL model and its unique opportunities in overcoming educational boundaries during wartime.
Upon successful completion of the COIL project, KhNU students will receive official certificates, serving as evidence of their personal achievements and becoming a valuable addition to their professional résumés (CVs) for future career development.
Reference: The Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) model (COIL) model was developed to promote international collaboration in the form of online education. COIL aims to deliver results equivalent to or even better than physical mobility in terms of improving international and intercultural competencies. To qualify as a COIL course, the following elements are mandatory: joint instruction, online format, international character, and educational purpose.: спільна робота, онлайн-формат, міжнародний характер, навчальний процес.
Information:https://coil.suny.edu/