The Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities in Asia Pacific (AJCU-AP) continues to expand regional academic cooperation through its Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Program. The initiative connects faculty members and students from institutions in different countries through technology-supported academic and intercultural activities.
Now in its third cycle, the program has developed in three complementary areas: COIL-enhanced classes among participating institutions, a new initiative for Ignatian formation, and SPARK-COIL, an Erasmus+ project supporting training, equipment, and regional implementation.
Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) has taken a key role in advancing these initiatives with participating institutions in Asia and Europe.
International Classroom Partnerships
The third cycle began with an orientation and training workshop on 29 November 2025. Dr. June Prieto of San Pedro College discussed the role of virtual learning in advancing global collaboration, while Dr. Dorothy Rabajante, Dean of the School of Education at Ateneo de Zamboanga University, provided guidance on designing COIL-integrated syllabi.
Following the training, faculty members serving as COIL Champions developed international learning activities connecting courses from different disciplines and cultural contexts.
One partnership brought together Dr. Forhad Hossain of Sophia University in Japan and Dr. Jovelyn Castro of ADDU. Students in Entrepreneurship and Business Communication participated in three weeks of joint sessions on organization, communication, and presentation.
Another collaboration involved Dr. Ming-i Lydia Tseng of Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan and Dr. Shiela Java-Guinal of ADDU. Their students explored systemic functional linguistics, intercultural text analysis, and multimodal communication in relation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
A third partnership connected Professor Panat Trisuvan of Panyapiwat Institute of Management in Thailand with Ms. Donna Vida Abrina of ADDU. Over six weeks, students examined sales practices in different cultural settings and collaborated on a vlog project involving research, content development, production, presentation, and reflection.
Additional partnerships are being developed in theology. One class will focus on Ecclesiology and the Development of the Church, while another will explore Love, Communication, Theology, and Intercultural Understanding.
Extending COIL to Ignatian Formation
AJCU-AP is also preparing to apply the collaborative model to Ignatian formation. The new COIL for Ignatian Formation Classes initiative seeks to establish a regional network of formators and strengthen their capacity for leadership, mentorship, and intercultural formation.
Developed through consultation with the Arrupe Office of Social Formation, the initiative invites AJCU-AP institutions to designate formation or COIL point persons. Participating formators will undergo orientation and formation workshops before being paired with colleagues from other member institutions. Together, they will design modules incorporating Ignatian principles and the elements of the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm: context, experience, reflection, action, and evaluation
The modules will be implemented over five to eight weeks through virtual or blended activities. Formator Champions will jointly design and facilitate the sessions, provide mentorship, model Ignatian values, and document their reflections as part of the program’s evaluation.
By focusing on formators, the initiative is expected to create a multiplier effect through the students, faculty members, and communities they accompany. It also supports their professional and intercultural development while advancing the shared mission of Jesuit higher education.
SPARK-COIL Connects Asia and Europe
The regional initiative is further supported by SPARK-COIL, or Strengthen and Promote Academic Agility, Resilience, and Knowledge Exchange through Collaborative Online International Learning. The Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education project runs from 2025 to 2027.
Coordinated by Ateneo de Manila University, the consortium includes Ateneo de Davao University, Ateneo de Naga University, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, the University of Alicante in Spain, and Akademia WSB in Poland. It is the first Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education initiative proposed by a Philippine consortium.
SPARK-COIL supports participating institutions through faculty training, shared resources, equipment, and international classroom partnerships. Its pilot implementation produced 15 COIL pairings across 14 classes and reached 609 students.
The project has also produced a guidebook for instructors and conducted regional capacity-building activities, including a five-day training workshop at Akademia WSB in Poland. These efforts are helping participating institutions integrate COIL into their curricula and make intercultural learning accessible to more students.
Through the combined work of AJCU-AP institutions and the SPARK-COIL consortium, COIL is developing into a sustainable platform for international education, intercultural learning, faculty collaboration, and knowledge exchange between Asia and Europe.