The Ohio State University and the University of Tsukuba in Japan have been selected by the American Council on Education (ACE) to participate in the U.S.-Japan Rapid Response Virtual Exchange/Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Transformational Lab. Ohio State and the University of Tsukuba are one of 15 partner institutions named to participate in the initiative which aims to expand U.S.-Japan higher education ties through the development of COIL courses.
ACE offered this opportunity in partnership with the Institute for Innovative Global Education (IIGE), and it is supported by the U.S. Embassy Tokyo in coordination with Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
While international travel is currently not possible, this initiative provides an innovative way to continue cross-cultural learning through high quality virtual exchanges. Throughout the three-month learning laboratory, ACE and IIGE representatives will share best practices and provide resources to partner universities to adapt an education or exchange program to a virtual mode of delivery.
Daniel Pradel, a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geodetic Engineering, and Takashi Matsushima, professor of engineering information and systems at the University of Tsukuba, will adapt a current Ohio State course called, “Learning from disasters: Extreme events and their impact on infrastructure, engineering, and society,” to the COIL format.
The faculty will work with an instructional designer and educational technologist who will serve as the curriculum team and will also be supported by the administrative staff of the Office of International Affairs and College of Engineering International Programs, who will serve as the project management team.
Development of the online class will not only provide an international learning experience for each university’s students, but also a means of collaboration between faculty members.
The program includes engagement with ACE and IIGE virtual exchange and collaborative online international learning experts and a cohort of up to 15 U.S. and Japanese higher education institutions; high quality professional training of faculty, senior leadership and administration by experts through a three-week professional development course and institutional team mentoring; collaboration with international partner institutions; and access to ACE experts and customized resources and information.
The partnership between Ohio State and the University of Tsukuba dates back to 2016 when the universities signed a memorandum of understanding. Over the years, both institutions have hosted visiting delegations and participated in faculty exchanges, research collaborations and education abroad programs.
For more information about international partnerships, visit oia.osu.edu/international-partnerships.