Finding a Partner

As its name implies, COIL is all about collaboration. Finding the right partner can make all the difference. Finding and working with that partner, however, may feel like a daunting step. Whether you already have a partner in mind or need help identifying someone to work with, GAI can help. The first step is submitting your COIL Profile to highlight your teaching and collaboration interests.

Looking for a Partner?

ECU participates in several virtual exchange networks (and also runs one ourselves) that can help you connect with potential partners. Each network works a little differently in terms of access and visibility, but together they offer a wide range of opportunities:

  • GPE Connect (COIL Profile required for access)
    • A community platform developed and maintained by ECU where faculty can browse profiles and connect with instructors from more than 50 GPE partner institutions.
  • COIL Connect
    • A free membership directory where individual faculty can create profiles and directly contact instructors who are seeking COIL partners worldwide.
  • UNICollaboration
    • A public listing of courses seeking partners with full details accessible by GAI. Peruse the list and let us know if anything sounds interesting!
  • SUNY COIL Global Network
    • A private matching system including curated lists of courses seeking partners and quarterly partnership fairs accessed through GAI. We can share current opportunities and help make connections.

Before exploring these networks, remember you can also begin by leveraging your own professional connections! Colleagues from conferences, professional associations, former classmates, and past collaborators often make excellent COIL partners.

Not sure where to start? GAI can help navigate these networks and identify promising matches.

What Makes for a Strong COIL Partnership?

Good partnerships are built on shared intentions and good communication. Regardless of whether you are working with someone new or a colleague you’ve known for years, strong partnerships tend to share some common characteristics. The following characteristics help set the foundation for a productive and rewarding experience:

  • Aligned course themes or learning goals
    • You don’t need matching courses or syllabi, just meaningful points of connection for at least a portion of your respective courses.
  • Shared commitment to student-centered learning
    • Successful COIL projects actively engage students through facilitated discussions and project-based activities that promote meaningful collaboration.
  • Comparable knowledge bases
    • Similar academic readiness or deliberate strategies to fill the gaps helps both groups engage fully.
  • Flexibility and adaptability around timing
    • Semesters and class times rarely line up perfectly. Flexibility and a willingness to adapt in “out of the box” ways, goes a long way.
  • Strategies for linguistic differences
    • Depending on your partner, developing strategies to navigate linguistic differences up front will be helpful.
  • Clear expectations around responsibilities and workload
    • Clear communication about who will handle which components of the module avoids confusion and reduces frustration.

Remember, our COIL Champions and GAI staff are here to support you! If you’d like help finding or evaluating potential partners, tips for how to effectively collaborate, or to just chat about concerns you have, we’re happy to help.