Navigating Global Education: Students’ Perception of a Transcontinental COIL

Rosalie Barreto Belian,1 Divinia Jithoo,2 Silvia Wanick Sarinho,1 Nalini Govender31Center for Medical Sciences, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil; 2International Education, International Office, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa; 3Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South AfricaCorrespondence: Nalini Govender, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, Email [email protected]: This study explores students’ perceptions of a transcontinental Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project involving participants from Brazil, Ireland, the Philippines, South Africa, and Spain. Leveraging principles of green pedagogy and intercultural collaboration, the virtual exchange (VEX) was designed to cultivate disciplinary knowledge, professional skills, intercultural awareness, and digital literacy, ultimately fostering global citizenship.Methods: This was an exploratory mixed-methods study, that combined quantitative survey data on student–lecturer engagement, vocational skills development, cultural diversity, and digital learning platforms, alongside qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews.Results: Our findings highlight how the VEX enriched professional learning, critical analysis abilities, and cross-cultural understanding while supporting networking and collaborative research across five time zones. Students reported overcoming language barriers, strengthening communication, and expanding their awareness of global health contexts. During this time, COVID-19 posed challenges to higher education, however, it also served as a catalyst for accelerating international virtual collaboration and digital pedagogies. Despite variations in technology access and language proficiency, the experience fostered unity, empathy, and resilience.Conclusion: The findings should be interpreted as exploratory and perception-based rather than evidence of confirmed educational impact. This study contributes to the growing body of research on COIL by providing empirical insight into how students experience transcontinental virtual collaboration in health education contexts.Keywords: collaborative online international learning, COIL, green pedagogy, intercultural competence, global citizenship, digital literacy