‘Collaborative Teaching’ On-site Workshop Series: Organising Online Intercultural Collaboration Projects (COIL)

‘Collaborative Teaching’ On-site Workshop Series: Organising Online Intercultural Collaboration Projects (COIL)

Turn international teaching ideas into practice through hands-on collaboration, peer exchange, and practical COIL and Virtual Exchange design. Join colleagues from across Ulysseus European University to develop engaging and inclusive teaching approaches and create international collaboration projects ready to implement in your own courses.

Virtual Exchange, COIL & Blended Intensive Programmes

About The Workshop

Teaching in English has become an essential part of international higher education. As universities welcome an increasing number of international students, academic staff are expected not only to communicate effectively in English but also to create engaging, inclusive and supportive learning environments for students from diverse linguistic, educational and cultural backgrounds.

Building on the knowledge and ideas developed during the ‘Collaborative Teaching’ Online Workshop Series: Virtual Exchange, COIL, and BIPs, the on-site workshop provides participants with the opportunity to meet in person, deepen their understanding through practical activities, and collaboratively develop internationally oriented teaching initiatives.

Organised by the Technical University of Košice (within the Global Mindset @ TUKE initiative), this professional development programme supports a commitment to strengthening internationalisation at home and expanding opportunities for collaborative teaching across Ulysseus European University. The programme consists of two complementary events:

  • Online 3-Session Workshop (3-17-24 September 2026) – an interactive introduction to the principles and practice of COIL, Virtual Exchange, and Blended Intensive Programmes. Participants will explore how these approaches can enrich their courses, foster intercultural learning, and build international partnerships without requiring physical mobility. For more information, please visit the online workshop series page.
  • On-site Workshop (1-2 October 2026, TUKE, Košice, Slovakia) – a hands-on, practice-oriented workshop where participants will explore practical approaches to internationally oriented teaching and put the principles of COIL into practice. Through interactive sessions, participants will discover inclusive and engaging English Medium Instruction (EMI) practices, review and enhance their own teaching materials, and collaborate with colleagues to design collaborative projects that can be implemented in their own teaching.

Both workshops will be led by an internationally recognised expert in Virtual Exchange, COIL, and educational innovation, who also serves as a Full Professor of English Studies.

The workshops are also intended for participants from Ulysseus partner institutions who aim to develop and launch their COIL projects under the Ulysseus Seed Fund Call 2026.

Learning Outcomes

The programme is designed for participants who are ready to turn ideas into practice. Through collaborative course design, peer exchange, and hands-on activities, participants will develop COIL/Virtual Exchange concepts, enhance their internationally oriented teaching practices, and leave with concrete plans and resources ready to implement in their own courses.

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  • apply the principles of effective EMI in higher education;
  • design teaching activities that encourage active participation in multilingual and multicultural classrooms;
  • structure lectures and learning materials to improve clarity and accessibility for international students;
  • apply practical strategies that reduce language-related barriers to learning;
  • create more inclusive learning environments for culturally diverse student groups;
  • further develop COIL and Virtual Exchange activities for implementation in their own courses;
  • collaborate with international colleagues on innovative teaching approaches and exchange good practice;
  • deliver a short teaching session in English while applying EMI principles;
  • provide and receive constructive peer feedback in a supportive professional environment.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is intended for:

  • academic staff teaching in English;
  • lecturers preparing to introduce English-taught courses;
  • teachers working with international students;
  • educators interested in strengthening the international dimension of their teaching;
  • participants of the September online workshop series who wish to further develop their COIL or Virtual Exchange ideas into practical teaching projects;
  • academic staff wishing to exchange good practice with colleagues from across the Ulysseus European University.

No previous EMI training is required.

Why Attend?

The on-site workshop is designed for participants who are ready to turn ideas into practice. Through collaborative course design, peer exchange, and hands-on activities, participants will develop COIL/Virtual Exchange concepts, enhance their internationally oriented teaching practices, and leave with concrete plans and resources ready to implement in their own courses.

This workshop can be attended independently from the online workshop series organised in September, participants who complete both workshops will gain the greatest benefit, progressing from the foundations of collaborative international teaching to the practical design and delivery of internationally enriched learning experiences.

On-site Workshop Agenda

The on-site workshop consists of 2 full-days. We strongly encourage participants to attend the full extent of the workshop.

Participation in the on-site workshop is free of charge. Participants are, however, responsible for covering their own travel, accommodation and other expenses related to their stay in Košice, Slovakia.

Where eligible, these costs may be funded through Erasmus+ staff mobility.

Day 1 | Thursday, 1 October 2026

Explore practical approaches to internationally oriented teaching. Discover interactive and inclusive EMI practices, review your own teaching materials, and collaborate with colleagues to design COIL, Virtual Exchange and Blended Intensive Programme projects.

Morning Sessions: Interaction, Assessment and the Inclusive International Classroom
Afternoon Session: Virtual exchange and COIL Project Design Workshop 

Day 2 | Friday, 2 October 2026

Practise your teaching skills through a microteaching activity! Deliver a short session from your own discipline, experiment with strategies for engaging internationally diverse student groups, and receive constructive feedback from peers and the facilitator.

Morning Sessions: Designing Your COIL/VE
Afternoon Sessions: Microteaching Workshop, Proposing an International Exchange Project

The Online Workshop Series

The on-site workshop will build on the knowledge and ideas developed during the online workshop series. The online workshop series is designed as an interactive introduction to the principles and practice of COIL, Virtual Exchange, and Blended Intensive Programmes. The series is organised in three online sessions taking place on 3, 17 and 24 September 2026.

For more information, please visit online workshop series page.

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Register for the 'Collaborative Teaching' On-site Workshop Series: Organising Online Intercultural Collaboration Projects (COIL)