Launch of Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Project

Alfred Nobel University (ANU), in collaboration with Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan (AMU), is pleased to announce the commencement of the “Global Challenges: Past, Present and Future” Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project. This initiative, designed to foster intercultural understanding and global competency among students, officially began on March 17th and will continue until May 2nd 2025.

The project brings together 40 students from diverse academic backgrounds, including third-year Italian Language majors from AMU and second and third-year students from ANU majoring in Marketing, Management, International Economic Relations, and Tourism.

Project Objectives:

The primary objectives of this COIL project are to:

• Facilitate a unique intercultural learning experience, enabling students to understand and appreciate diverse global perspectives, particularly in the context of contemporary challenges, including those exacerbated by current geopolitical events.
• Encourage the analysis of specific global challenges, including their causes and effects, and to develop forecasts and potential solutions, considering the complexity and diversity of these issues.
• Promote effective collaboration within multicultural teams, allowing students to observe and learn from diverse approaches to problem-solving.
• Develop essential social and emotional competencies, such as empathy and rapport-building, and enhance networking skills.
• Cultivate critical thinking, creativity, and communicative proficiency among participants.

Project Implementation:

The project utilizes a blended approach, incorporating both synchronous and asynchronous learning activities. During the first week, students engaged in introductory activities, including the creation and sharing of personal introduction videos and participation in a collaborative brainstorming session on global challenges. Subsequent weeks will focus on identifying common challenges, team formation, and the selection of specific global challenges for in-depth analysis.

The inaugural virtual meeting, held on 27^th March 2025, provided a platform for students to introduce themselves, share their expectations, and begin their collaborative journey. This meeting was facilitated by:

• Svitlana Medynska, Associate Professor and Acting Head of the Department of Foreign Languages, ANU.
• Veronika Haidar, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Foreign Languages, ANU.
• Giuseppe Raffaeli, Lecturer, AMU.

This COIL project represents a significant step in enhancing the internationalization of our curriculum and providing our students with invaluable cross-cultural experiences. Alfred Nobel University remains committed to fostering global citizenship and preparing our students for success in an increasingly interconnected world.

We look forward to sharing updates on the progress and outcomes of this collaborative endeavor.