- About BUas
- Global engagement
BUas secures funding and joins national network to scale global virtual learning
BUas is strengthening its commitment to internationalisation at home, making global learning a reality for every student, not just those who study abroad.
In January 2026, BUas became a founding member of COILectiVE NL, a new Dutch network that advances Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) across mbo schools, hbo institutes and research universities nationwide. Coordinated by Nuffic and The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS), the network connects educators and institutions to share knowledge, develop resources, and build new international teaching partnerships. BUas proudly serves on the coordination team.
The timing could hardly have been better. Just weeks later, in February 2026, BUas and THUAS successfully secured national NRO (Netherlands Initiative for Education Research) funding to scale up and embed COIL across BUas programmes on a lasting basis – a significant step forward for the institute’s Internationalisation at Home strategy.
What is COIL?
COIL is a teaching method in which educators from institutions in different countries co-design and co-facilitate collaborative online learning assignments that are embedded directly within the curriculum. Students work together with international peers on shared tasks, without needing to travel. At BUas, COIL projects are central to its Internationalisation at Home strategy, ensuring that every student can develop global perspectives and intercultural competencies, regardless of whether they have the opportunity to study abroad.
What the research project will examine
The NRO-funded project runs from February 2026 to July 2028 and consists of five phases. Using stakeholder interviews, institutional analysis and student surveys, the research will focus on four key areas: creating standardised implementation processes, expanding COIL to new study programmes, developing train-the-trainer frameworks, and measuring student competency development.
The project aims to deliver practical, evidence-based outcomes including validated lecturer training frameworks and reliable assessment instruments that can support sustainable, institution-wide COIL implementation at BUas and beyond.
Expected impact
By the end of the project, BUas aims to have expanded COIL to at least four new programmes, trained over 20 lecturers, and engaged more than 100 additional students in international virtual collaboration. The partnership with THUAS and BUas' active role in the COILectiVE NL network further strengthen the institute’s capacity to prepare graduates for success in international labour markets.
