On February 10th, the conference “Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL): Connecting Classrooms” was organized by Dr. Gloria Cristina Palos Cerda of the Business Studies Degree Program, within the framework of the Teacher Qualification Program promoted by the Dean of Research and Postgraduate Studies and the Pedagogical Support Center of UNIVATES.

More than fifty Brazilian teachers attended were able to analyze relevant aspects related to the COIL (Collaborative International Learning) methodology, whose focus is on connecting students and teachers from different cultures with the purpose of learning, discussing, and collaborating with each other through a distance modality. The conference given by Dr. Palos began by exploring the importance of the issue of interculturality and collaboration and referring to the message by the UN focusing on the fact that: “Cultural diversity is a driving force of development not only in terms of economic growth but as a means to having a more enriching intellectual, affective, moral and spiritual life”.

In addition, the COIL experiences that the UPSLP has implemented since 2021 were shared and it was highlighted that, in total, four international collaborations have been carried out in which, of 218 participating students, 111 have been from the UPSLP studying in the following degree programs, Business Studies, International Marketing, and Information Technology.

To date, COIL projects have been undertaken with the Colombian university, the Catholic University of Manizales with students from Tourism Business Administration and Industrial Engineering degree programs, and with the Metropolitan Technological Institute with students from the Telecommunications Engineering degree program. Similarly, a COIL project has been carried out with UNIVATES in the area of International Relations.

The UPSLP, during the spring 2022 semester, plans to implement seven simultaneous COIL projects in which the Departments of Business Studies, International Marketing, and Industrial Systems and Technologies will collaborate with the Technology Faculty of Americana, campus “Ministro Ralph Biasi” (FATEC) of Brazil, the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador (PUCE) and, of course, UNIVATES. Currently, talks are continuing with the Pontifical University of Salamanca (Spain) and the University of La Salle Costa Rica to expand the offer of projects using the COIL methodology at the UPSLP.

The Polytechnic University of San Luis Potosí wishes greatest success to the professors who will implement COIL projects, and cordially invites all its teachers to join this important institutional project.