A recent online panel discussion held by Nuffic Connects, involving Sake Jager of the University of Groningen, Reinout Klamer of The Hague University of Applied Sciences, and Dinand Warringa from Hogeschool Windesheim, offered several key insights into the practice and potential of Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) and Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs). Despite the potential of COIL and BIPs to make internationalisation more accessible, the panelists found that in practice there are significant differences in receptivity and implementation among staff and programmes. BIPs, while valuable, are often seen as optional and aren't typically integrated into the curriculum.

The panelists highlighted the importance of engaging both internal and external stakeholders in the establishment of COIL or BIPs, underscoring that these activities are not goals in themselves but mechanisms for achieving specific learning outcomes. They advocated for the inclusion of COIL and BIPs in the curriculum, albeit with the flexibility to accommodate emerging opportunities. While BIPs can expand internationalisation, the speakers concluded that these are supplemental and not an alternative to Internationalisation at Home (IaH) initiatives. The insights shared during the panel serve as an essential contribution to the discourse on virtual collaboration and internationalisation in higher education.

Read the complete list of takeaways here.