Durham College brings global classrooms together through COIL collaborations

Students at Durham College (DC) are gaining global perspectives and building career-ready skills through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) projects that connect classrooms, ideas, and cultures across continents.

COIL is an innovative teaching and learning approach that brings together students and faculty from different countries to collaborate on shared projects within their courses. Through virtual exchanges, learners collaborate with international peers, explore global challenges, and develop skills increasingly valued in today’s workforce.

During the 2025-26 academic year, DC students participated in COIL projects with partner institutions in countries including Wales, South Africa, the Philippines, Belgium, the Netherlands, Indonesia, Ecuador, Slovenia, Türkiye and Tanzania. The projects spanned a wide range of disciplines, from early childhood education and business to journalism, food systems, construction management, and fine arts.

“Collaborative Online International Learning creates meaningful global educational experiences that are accessible to all students, regardless of their ability to travel,” said Amanda Maknyik, Dean, Teaching, Learning, and Academic Quality at DC. “By engaging in shared learning with their international peers, students develop the intercultural competencies, adaptability, and collaboration skills needed to thrive in an increasingly connected world. These experiences enrich learning while helping prepare graduates for success in diverse workplaces and communities.”

One of the projects completed during the Winter 2026 semester connected students in DC’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) program with peers at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD).

Led by Corrine McCormick-Brighton, professor in the Faculty of Social and Community Services, and Glenda Tinney, lecturer at UWTSD, the project explored ethics and professional practices in early learning and child care.

“Through the COIL experience, my students had the opportunity to collaborate with university students from Wales and learn about early childhood education from their perspective,” said McCormick-Brighton. “The project strengthened communication and collaboration skills while increasing cultural awareness. It reinforced the value of international partnerships in enriching teaching practice and providing students with meaningful opportunities to develop global perspectives.”

Additional COIL projects challenged students to address food insecurity alongside peers at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, develop cross-cultural business solutions with students from 10 institutions around the world, explore global technical writing practices with partners in the Philippines, co-develop human resource and social enterprise solutions with community partners in Tanzania, and engage in international artistic exchanges with institutions in Ireland and England.

By embedding international collaboration directly into coursework, COIL provides students with opportunities to engage with diverse perspectives, tackle real-world challenges and build global networks without leaving their classrooms.

As DC continues to expand its international partnerships, initiatives like COIL support the college’s commitment to delivering future-focused learning experiences that prepare graduates to contribute and succeed in an interconnected world.

Learn more about COIL at DC.