Collaborative Online Intercultural Learning – Virtual Exchange (COIL-VE), is an important initiative of the CIE that addresses all four of Langara College’s Internationalization Strategy pillars and aims to enhance learning and teaching to support the development of global citizens.

What is COIL-VE?

Collaborative Online Intercultural Learning – Virtual Exchange (COIL-VE) is an approach to fostering global competence through development of a multicultural learning environment that links classes in different countries.

Using various communication technologies, the model involves in-depth cooperation between paired faculty co-designing parts of courses (to entire courses) and students collaborating in small groups to complete shared projects. A COIL-VE curriculum component may be a student project that takes as little as four weeks and can take a variety of forms that provide real life experience and highlight potential global issues. Examples include:

  • Marketing or business plan
  • Research
  • Service learning
  • Direct work with a local or global company from two or more country perspectives

COIL-VE Benefits

COIL-VE produces meaningful, authentic, international experiences for faculty and students without the cost and extensive time away from home.

  • For students, COIL-VE increases interest in study abroad.
  • For faculty, COIL-VE increases international faculty collaboration and future short-term exchanges.
  • For everyone, COIL-VE intentionally fosters the development of the intercultural competencies that are needed for success in today's world and workforce.

COIL-VE Collaboration Basics

  • Two or more classrooms collaborating
  • Students work directly with each other on a project
  • Shared intercultural outcomes by international counterparts
  • Increased international cooperation and interest between faculty and students
  • Grade credited by respective institutions

COIL-VE Info Session

Curious to learn more? Check out this brief information session to hear how COIL-VE can work for you.

Training and Support

Langara's Centre for Intercultural Engagement (CIE) created the Langara COIL-VE Community of Practice to support Langara Fellows and Partners engaged in virtual exchanges.

The CIE offers COIL-VE workshop training sessions to Faculty partners and international partners from external institutions to support development of joint virtual student learning projects.

Upon completion of these workshops, participants become part of the Langara COIL-VE Community of Practice, gaining access to discussions, peers, and resources. Together, the members of the Community of Practice provide support for COIL-VE Fellows and Partners to successfully implement COIL-VE into their curriculums.

Langara COIL-VE Fellow and Partner Workshops

The CIE offers COIL-VE Fellow and Partner Workshops three times a year (May, September, and January). The next set of workshops are listed below. All sessions are virtual, will be recorded for the benefit of partners in different time zones, and are PST (GMT-8).

Fall 2022

  • Friday, October 7, 9:30 am–12:00 pm
  • Friday, October 14, 9:30 am–12:00 pm
  • Friday, October 21, 9:30 am–12:00 pm
  • Friday, November 4, 9:30 am–12:00 pm
  • Friday, November 18, 9:30 am–12:00 pm

Register Now

Upon approval, applicants will be automatically registered for the workshop series. 

For assistance or more information, please contact CIE at cieoffice@langara.ca.

External Institutional Partners and Faculty

Training is also available for faculty from external post-secondary institutions. The CIE has trained faculty from numerous institutions and is happy to help other institutions get started. For more information, interested institutions can get in touch with CIE. 

Learn More

Additional Resources

Contact Us

For all other inquiries, please email cieoffice@langara.ca.