On March 7, 2024, the largest COIL project to date involving Khmelnytskyi National University (KhNU) and UCLL University of Applied Sciences (Belgium) was launched, bringing together over 180 students from Ukraine and Belgium.
The students have already completed the first part of the course under the resonant title “Moving Minds: International Business.” They have broken the ice through introductory sessions, completed socialization activities, introduced themselves, and engaged with key theoretical content, including: “Theoretical Framework: Hofstede & Trompenaars” and “Intercultural Conflict Resolution” (lecturer: Fleur Deboutte) “Cultural Programming in International Business” and “Uncovering Threats in International Business: Culture Shock” (lecturer: Ilona Dumanska) This phase was delivered through a combination of lectures, quizzes, and case studies. The project has now progressed to the “News Stand” stage—an intellectual deep dive through the lens of literature.
At the centre of the discussion is the provocative book “Whites, Jews, and Us: Toward a Politics of Revolutionary Love” by Houria Bouteldja, a French author of Algerian descent. Her work indirectly raises a critical question: “Is colonialism—both political and economic—really a thing of the past?”
The discussions—philosophical and polemical—took place on Discord (Thursday, April 18, 2024) and Zoom (Friday, April 19, 2024).
In a safe and open atmosphere that encouraged respectful debate and critical thinking, students explored excerpts from the book. This allowed for a multidimensional understanding of the publication, while also fostering: Awareness of tolerance and social inclusion, Strategies to combat xenophobia, Principles of smart multicultural team-building in international business, Trust-based collaboration, Development of cross-cultural management models.
The “Moving Minds” COIL project continues on its journey, and the most exciting part is still ahead: teamwork on designing an expat guide and mastering new competencies in the field of internationalisation.