Students across continents explore sustainable investment through COIL

Posted on July 01, 2025

In the first semester’s Marketing in Practice module, the BCom Marketing Management honours students at UP had the opportunity to collaborate with the business and finance students from Michigan State University (MSU) in the USA as part of the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Faculty Fellows Program-Africa. COIL is an initiative made possible by MSU’s Global Youth Advancement Network (GYAN), Alliance for African Partnership (AAP), and Office for Education Abroad. The purpose of the programme is to enable academics in higher education institutions across disciplines to explore the theory and practice of COIL through global partnerships within the AAP Consortium, of which the University of Pretoria (UP) is a part.

COIL projects are innovative educational experiences that bring students and lecturers from different countries together through shared virtual projects. Such projects often foster intercultural communication, enhanced subject-specific knowledge, networking opportunities, professional development, and ultimately develop globally engaged citizens. The 2025 COIL project was managed by Dr Jade Verbeek, a lecturer in the Department of Marketing Management at UP, and Dr Antoinette Tessmer, an associate professor of finance in the Broad College of Business at MSU. Students from the two institutions joined forces to turn complex research into accessible and engaging content for a diverse audience.

The project brought together the business and finance students from MSU, who usually conduct research on sustainable investments and present at their annual University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF); and marketing students from UP, who regularly consult with real-world industry partners to solve communication and marketing challenges. The task was clear, albeit challenging: effectively communicate research findings about sustainable investment – which is usually technical in nature – in an engaging manner through an online platform, for the diverse audiences at UURAF. The goal was not just to inform, but to engage, making complex ideas about sustainable investment resonate with audiences who might not have a background in finance.

This initiative highlighted the powerful synergy between research and communication. The business and finance students provided the data and insights, while the marketing students applied their expertise in storytelling, design, and digital tools to craft a dynamic, audience-friendly presentation. The outcome was a seamless fusion of knowledge and creativity – a demonstration of how collaborative learning can break down barriers and bring important ideas to life in meaningful ways.

This COIL project, which was a first for this year’s BCom Marketing Management honours students, yielded benefits far beyond lecture sessions. The benefits include, but are not limited to, interdisciplinary learning, intercultural communication, cultural awareness, networking, and student-centred learning. The topic at hand not only enhanced students’ communication skills as they translated complex research findings into clear, engaging messages but also highlighted the importance of sustainability, aligning well with institutional goals, and also has a broader societal impact.