Developing Transversal Competencies in Peruvian Architecture Students Through a COIL Experience

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) has become an innovative pedagogical strategy that promotes the internationalization of curricula and the development of transversal competencies. In architecture, its implementation is particularly relevant because there is a growing need to train professionals capable of leading and collaborating in global and interdisciplinary contexts. However, evidence of COIL’s impact during the early stages of higher education in Latin America remains limited. This study analyzed the experience of 39 architecture students from the Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa (Peru), who collaborated with peers from Mexico in a five-week COIL project focused on design methodologies for vulnerable populations. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study assessed students’ competencies in leadership, self-regulation in virtual learning, and emotional intelligence and teamwork through pre- and post-experience questionnaires complemented with open-ended questions. Findings indicate that although students’ self-perceptions of their competencies remained at medium-to-high levels overall, changes occurred differently among groups: students with initially low self-assessment scores showed improvements, whereas those with initially high scores tended to moderate their self-assessment. Qualitative analysis highlighted barriers such as limited communication, time zone differences, and unequal participation. Overall, the results suggest that the COIL experience not only supported the development of competencies but also fostered critical reflection and a more realistic self-assessment of students’ competencies in virtual and intercultural contexts.