From internationalisation to employability: Curriculum-integrated COIL as a pedagogical model in higher education

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is increasingly used in higher education to expand access to internationalisation opportunities, yet limited research explains how curriculum-integrated COIL fosters employability-related competence development. This study examines curriculum-integrated COIL as a pedagogical model for developing professional and intercultural competencies among university students. Using an exploratory mixed-methods design, the study combines baseline survey responses from 204 students with post-experience reflections from 17 participants who completed the programme. Findings suggest that students perceived development in intercultural communication, teamwork, digital collaboration, and professional confidence. These outcomes were associated with structured intercultural collaboration, authentic project work, reflection activities, and instructor facilitation. Given the small post-programme sample and reliance on self-reported data, findings should be interpreted as exploratory. The study contributes to discussions of internationalisation-at-home by positioning curriculum-integrated COIL as an inclusive pedagogical model for employability development.