Investing Inward: Professional Development as a Strategic Priority in International Education by DA Global | May 12, 2026 Professional development is not a perk. It is the infrastructure that allows international education practitioners to grow, adapt, and lead effectively. Yet the field has rarely examined how it invests in its own people: what professional development actually looks like across institutions, what the research tells us about participation, and how to make it a strategic priority rather than a budget line item. This session brings together researchers, practitioners, and organizational leaders for a grounded conversation on professional development in international education. Drawing on emerging research and field experience, panelists will explore what meaningful investment in people looks like, how institutions can move from ad hoc to strategic, and what the evidence says about building strong, capable global education teams. Moderator: Claudio Castaneda, Director of Content & Programs, DA Global Access Network Presenters: Dr. Roopa Rawjee, Executive Director Office of International Engagement, Illinois State University Dr. Lily Lopez-McGee, Senior Director of Diplomatic Fellowships, Howard University Stacey Hansen, Educational Policy & Leadership, Ph.D. Candidate June 10, 2026 at 11:00am ET Register
Unraveling COIL: Key Insights on the Benefits and Challenges of Virtual Exchange by DA Global | Apr 20, 2026 | Articles, Collaboration & Initiatives at Home, Global Engagement Resources, Homepage Articles, Public Live Session from April 1, 2026 Overview: As global higher education continues to evolve, institutions are rethinking how international learning is delivered, who it reaches, and what outcomes it produces. Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) and virtual exchange have emerged as important tools in this shift, offering new pathways for global engagement that extend beyond traditional mobility. A recent webinar brought together perspectives from both practice and research to explore the current state of COIL, its growing relevance, and the opportunities and challenges shaping its future. What follows is a synthesis of the key themes and takeaways from that discussion. Moderator: Kyle Cox, DA Global Impact Fellow 2025-2026 | CEA CAPA Regional Director for University Relations Guest Presenters: Daniel Nolan, Director of COIL Programming, University of Minnesota Adam Freed, Regional Director of Academic Partnerships, Asia-Pacific Academic Key Takeaways COIL is a flexible, evolving model of global learning embedded within coursework It is gaining momentum due to shifts in mobility, access, and student expectations Hybrid models are expanding the scope of what COIL can look like Students benefit from intercultural engagement, digital collaboration, and applied learning COIL supports career readiness by developing globally relevant skills Adoption requires attention to both practical challenges and deeper structural considerations The future of COIL will depend on continued innovation, critical reflection, and global inclusivity Defining COIL in a Shifting Landscape At its core, Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) refers to structured, collaborative learning experiences that connect students and faculty across institutions and countries through digital platforms. While often grouped under the broader umbrella of “virtual exchange,” COIL is typically distinguished by its integration into formal coursework and its emphasis on co-designed, faculty-led collaboration. However, one of the most important takeaways from the discussion is that COIL is not a fixed or universally agreed-upon model. Definitions continue to evolve, reflecting differences in regional practice, institutional priorities, and disciplinary approaches. This fluidity is not a weakness, but rather a sign of an emerging field that is still being shaped by those who engage with it. Why COIL, and Why Now? The renewed attention to COIL is closely tied to broader changes in global education. Declining participation in traditional study abroad in some contexts, rising costs, geopolitical uncertainty, and shifting student expectations have all contributed to a need for more flexible and inclusive models of global learning. At the same time, today’s students are increasingly comfortable operating in digital environments. This has made virtual collaboration not only feasible but pedagogically meaningful. COIL offers a way to embed international experiences directly into the curriculum, expanding access to students who may not be able to participate in physical mobility. In this sense, COIL is not simply an alternative to study abroad. It is part of a larger reimagining of how global learning can be integrated across the student experience. Expanding Models: From Virtual to Hybrid Another key theme was the evolution of COIL beyond fully virtual formats. In many contexts, COIL is now being combined with short-term mobility or embedded within broader program structures, creating hybrid models that blend online and in-person engagement. These developments reflect a growing recognition that global learning does not need to be confined to a single modality. Instead, institutions are experimenting with layered approaches that allow students to build relationships online and then deepen them through physical exchange, or vice versa. This shift also raises important questions about what counts as COIL and how it relates to other forms of international collaboration, further reinforcing the idea that the field is still in transition. Student Outcomes and Learning Value Across the discussion, there was strong alignment around the value of COIL for student learning. Participants highlighted several key areas of impact: Intercultural competence: Students engage directly with peers from different cultural and national contexts, developing greater awareness and perspective-taking skills. Digital collaboration: Working across time zones and platforms builds practical experience in virtual teamwork. Active learning: COIL projects often involve problem-based or collaborative assignments that increase student engagement. Access to global experiences: Students who may not have the opportunity to study abroad can still participate in meaningful international learning. Importantly, these outcomes are not limited to specific disciplines. COIL has been successfully implemented across a wide range of fields, demonstrating its adaptability and relevance in diverse academic contexts. Connecting to Career Readiness Beyond academic outcomes, COIL is increasingly being positioned as a contributor to career readiness. The ability to collaborate across cultures, communicate effectively in virtual environments, and navigate ambiguity are all highly valued in today’s workforce. COIL provides a structured environment in which students can practice these skills in real time. Rather than learning about global collaboration in theory, students experience it directly, often encountering the kinds of challenges and complexities that mirror professional settings. For institutions, this creates an opportunity to more clearly connect global learning with employability outcomes, an area of growing importance for both students and stakeholders. Faculty Engagement and Institutional Value While much of the conversation focused on student outcomes, there was also recognition of the benefits for faculty and institutions. For faculty, COIL can: Open new avenues for research and collaboration Strengthen connections with international partners Revitalize teaching through innovative pedagogies For institutions, COIL can: Expand global engagement without the costs of mobility Support strategic goals related to access and inclusion Serve as a foundation for deeper partnerships and future initiatives These benefits are important in encouraging broader adoption, particularly among faculty who may be unfamiliar with or hesitant about implementing COIL. Challenges and Critical Considerations Despite its potential, COIL is not without challenges. The discussion emphasized the importance of approaching COIL with a critical and reflective mindset. Practical barriers Time and coordination across institutions Differences in academic calendars and expectations Technological limitations or uneven access Conceptual challenges Navigating uncertainty and unpredictability in live, cross-cultural collaboration Avoiding oversimplified assumptions about culture and identity Ensuring that global engagement does not reinforce existing inequities Field-level tensions A concentration of leadership and visibility in North America and Europe Limited recognition of practices emerging from other regions The risk that standardization through training or certification may constrain innovation These considerations highlight that implementing COIL effectively requires not only logistical planning, but also intentional design and critical awareness. Moving Forward: COIL as an Evolving Practice One of the most consistent themes throughout the conversation was that COIL should be understood as an evolving practice rather than a fixed model. Its strength lies in its flexibility, its adaptability across contexts, and its potential to respond to changing needs in global education. At the same time, this flexibility requires ongoing dialogue about definitions, approaches, and values. As institutions continue to experiment with COIL and virtual exchange, there is an opportunity to shape the field in ways that are more inclusive, more equitable, and more responsive to diverse perspectives.
The Power of Partnership: Redefining Graduate Student Success Through Collaborative Pathways by DA Global | Mar 16, 2026 | Articles, Collaboration & Initiatives at Home, Education Abroad Resources, Global Engagement Resources, Public, Support & Advising Live Session from February 18, 2026 Overview: In this session, higher education practitioners explore how cross-department collaboration can help institutions better support students as they navigate academic success and career preparedness. Additional Resources Guest Presenters: Lurissa Brown, Associate Director of Career Services, Arizona State University Harold Ortiz, Graduate Program Manager, Arizona State University Highlights from the Webinar: Why cross-functional collaboration matters for student success: Learn how partnerships between academic program teams and career services can create more coordinated support systems for international graduate students. A real-world case study from Arizona State University: Explore how International Graduate Student programs collaborate with Career Services offices to align academic advising, career preparation, and student support. Strategies for strengthening campus partnerships: Discover practical ways to build relationships across departments, align messaging for students, and create collaboration structures that improve outcomes. Actionable ideas you can implement at your institution: Walk away with practical steps for mapping campus stakeholders, coordinating programming, and integrating career readiness into graduate student support. Webinar Insights Graduate students today, particularly international students, navigate a complex academic and professional landscape. In addition to mastering rigorous coursework, they must adapt to new cultural environments, understand immigration and employment regulations, and prepare for competitive career pathways. Supporting students through these intersecting challenges requires more than strong individual services. It requires intentional collaboration across the campus ecosystem. The Power of Partnership virtual discussion explores how institutions can strengthen student outcomes by aligning the work of multiple campus units. Using Arizona State University’s collaboration between Graduate Program Operations (GPO) and Career Services as a case study, the session demonstrates how coordinated support structures can help graduate students more effectively balance academic progress, career preparation, and personal development. While the discussion centers on the experiences of international graduate students, the strategies explored in this session offer insights that can strengthen support structures for graduate students more broadly. The webinar highlights how cross-functional collaboration enables institutions to respond more effectively to the realities international graduate students often face, including cultural adjustment, financial pressures, visa regulations, and barriers to employment. When academic program teams and career development professionals coordinate their efforts, they are better positioned to provide consistent guidance, clearer expectations, and more comprehensive support for students navigating these complexities. Key Insights from the Session Student success happens at the intersection of multiple campus functions Graduate students experience their academic journey holistically. Academic advising, program administration, career development, and social support are deeply interconnected. Collaboration between Graduate Program Operations and Career Services allows institutions to align messaging, programming, and student guidance so that students receive a more cohesive support experience. Cross-department collaboration improves institutional responsiveness International graduate education operates within a complex set of timelines and constraints, from visa regulations to employer hiring cycles. When departments coordinate their work, universities can design programming that reflects these real-world dynamics. Aligning academic schedules, advising structures, and career preparation efforts helps institutions move from reactive problem solving toward proactive student support. Strong partnerships are built through intentional relationship building Effective collaboration requires understanding shared goals, developing trust across departments, and maintaining consistent communication among campus partners. Identifying key stakeholders, initiating meaningful conversations, and demonstrating the impact of collaborative work can help partnerships become sustainable and scalable. Practical Takeaways for Practitioners Participants watching this session will gain practical strategies they can apply within their own institutions. Map your campus ecosystem Identify the offices, stakeholders, and departments that interact with international graduate students. Look beyond traditional partnerships to uncover new collaborators across academic units, advising teams, student services, and career development offices. Create intentional collaboration points Develop structured opportunities for departments to work together. Joint orientations, coordinated workshops, classroom partnerships, and shared advising initiatives can help ensure students receive consistent information and support throughout their programs. Align messaging around career readiness early Students benefit from clear expectations about career timelines, job search strategies, and professional development opportunities. Integrating career preparation into the early stages of their student journey helps students better manage academic responsibilities alongside career goals. Invest in cross-campus relationship building Regular communication, collaborative program planning, and shared evaluation of student outcomes can strengthen partnerships across campus. When departments work together intentionally, institutions create a more cohesive support system that benefits both students and staff. The insights from this session demonstrate that collaboration across campus functions is not simply a helpful practice. It is a critical strategy for helping international graduate students thrive academically, professionally, and personally throughout their graduate experience.
Unraveling COIL – The Benefits and Challenges of COIL and Virtual Exchange by DA Global | Feb 18, 2026 In a global education landscape shaped by shifting mobility patterns, evolving student expectations, and increasing emphasis on workforce readiness, institutions are rethinking how global learning is delivered and who it reaches. As more students and faculty identify as digital natives, what role will technology play in shaping the future of international education? Join experienced practitioners for a conversation on Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) and Virtual Exchange (VE), exploring not only what these models are, but why they are gaining renewed attention at this moment. Panelists will discuss how COIL can expand access to global learning, the types of student outcomes emerging from these experiences, and how virtual exchange can contribute to equity and career readiness goals. Moderator: Kyle Cox, University Relations Director, CIS Abroad Presenters: Dr. Daniel Nolan, Director of COIL Programming, University of Minnesota Adam Freed, Regional Director of Academic Partnerships, Asia-Pacific Academic April 1, 2026 at 12:00pm ET Register The Zoom link for the event will be sent to participants after they have registered. If you have yet to receive your personalized Zoom link by at least 1 hour before the event, please reach out to us at members@daglobal.org
Charting New Paths: Internationalization for the World Ahead by DA Global | Feb 18, 2026 | Articles, Collaboration & Initiatives at Home, Education Abroad Resources, Fundamentals, Global Engagement Resources, Public Live Session from February 5, 2026 Overview: This webinar explores how international education is responding to sustained global disruption. Through a candid, practice informed conversation, the panel examines how institutions can move beyond reactive decision making toward more intentional, values aligned approaches to global learning. Additional Resources Moderator: Claudio Castaneda, Director of Programs & Content, DA Global Access Network Guest Speaker: CJ Tremblay, Founder and Managing Director, Alethea Global Cooperative Antonio Gutiérrez, Chief Visionary Officer, Celei Regenerative Education Executive Summary What You’ll Find in This Summary: How institutions are reassessing global education priorities in response to geopolitical instability, policy changes, and enrollment volatility Why intentional design, mission alignment, and institutional values are becoming central to sustainable global learning strategies How practitioners can translate broad strategic conversations into concrete insights and organized proposals that inform leadership level decision making Context Framing This discussion brought together international education practitioners from diverse contexts to examine how global education is evolving amid sustained disruption. Drawing on perspectives grounded in climate justice, regenerative education, and values driven institutional strategy, the conversation explored how geopolitical instability, policy shifts, financial strain, enrollment uncertainty, and shifting student expectations are reshaping internationalization. Participants approached disruption as an ongoing structural condition shaping the field. The conversation focused on how institutions can develop more intentional, values aligned approaches to global learning in response to these realities. In doing so, the discussion reflected a regenerative mindset, asking how systems can be redesigned to strengthen long term social, ecological, and institutional resilience. Instead of offering a single prescriptive solution, the conversation surfaced insights drawn from lived experience across institutional and geographic contexts. Speakers examined the tension between maintaining operations and reimagining systems, and emphasized the need for deeper reflection on what internationalization is for, who it serves, and how it can contribute to more just and sustainable global engagement. What Brought Us Together? The conversation was situated within a higher education environment shaped by several interrelated dynamics: Geopolitical instability and shifting policy landscapes, influencing student mobility patterns, partnership development, and long term strategic planning Financial strain and enrollment uncertainty, prompting institutions to reassess recruitment models, partnership investments, and resource allocation Evolving student expectations, particularly regarding clearer alignment between institutional practice and stated commitments to social responsibility, climate action, equity, and global engagement. These pressures do not operate independently. Rather, they intersect and reinforce one another, increasing institutional complexity and challenging long standing assumptions about internationalization. In this context, the discussion examined two central questions: What is operationally feasible under current conditions? What is strategically purposeful and ethically grounded over the long term? Across institutional roles and organizational contexts, panelists emphasized the importance of reflection and recalibration. Instead of interpreting present conditions as temporary disruptions, many framed them as indicators of deeper structural change. This perspective invites reconsideration of how global learning is positioned within the broader institutional ecosystem and how it can more effectively contribute to student development, institutional mission, and long term resilience. What We Heard Several themes emerged consistently throughout the conversation: Institutions are placing greater emphasis on intentionality, moving away from expansion-focused models toward approaches that prioritize clarity of purpose, impact, and alignment. Innovation is often taking shape through incremental changes grounded in local context, rather than through large-scale or uniform reforms. Global education is increasingly understood as interconnected with other areas of institutional work, including career development, student wellbeing, access, and retention. Ongoing dialogue and shared reflection are seen as essential tools for navigating uncertainty, particularly in environments where conditions continue to shift. Students experience global learning pathways as part of a broader academic and personal journey, underscoring the need for clearer, more cohesive systems of support. Together, these themes suggest that the future of internationalization will be shaped less by scale alone and more by intentional design, alignment, and adaptability. Where to Go From Here This recording and its accompanying resources are designed for both institutional leaders and on the ground practitioners. While leaders shape final decisions, practitioners are often the ones identifying emerging patterns, testing new approaches, and building the case for change. The Reflection Worksheet and Accountability Form are structured to help practitioners capture insights in a clear, organized way that can inform institutional dialogue and strategic planning. To support continued engagement beyond the live discussion, participants are invited to use two optional resources: The Reflection Worksheet helps individuals and teams capture key insights from the conversation, clarify how emerging trends relate to their own context, and organize ideas that can be shared with colleagues and institutional leadership. The Accountability Form provides space for participants to identify one or two actions, questions, or areas of exploration they intend to pursue following the session. The form will remain open until mid March 2026, allowing time for reflection, internal discussion, and follow up. Both resources are designed to encourage thoughtful, context specific application rather than prescriptive outcomes. They provide structure for practitioners who are translating big picture conversations into actionable insights within their own institutions. This conversation underscored that there is no single pathway forward for international education. Instead, progress is emerging through careful reflection, collaborative learning, and a willingness to question inherited assumptions. The insights shared during this session offer a grounded starting point for institutions and practitioners alike as they consider how global learning can remain relevant, responsive, and values aligned in a changing world.
