Introduction
In today’s higher education landscape, universities face increasing pressure to implement inclusive internationalization strategies that extend beyond physical mobility and support students’ holistic development. While Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) has shown potential to enhance intercultural and digital competencies, there is limited empirical evidence on its integration into structured academic support systems such as Tutorial Action Plans (TAPs). In particular, few studies have examined how embedding COIL within a longitudinal mentoring framework may influence personal development, academic self-efficacy, and career orientation. Addressing this gap, the present study, grounded in experiential learning theory as proposed by Kolb (2014), evaluates whether integrating COIL into a TAP improves personal, academic, and vocational outcomes, as well as student satisfaction.
Methods
A comparative study was conducted with 48 senior undergraduate students. Twenty-seven participated in a COIL initiative involving a Spanish and a Dutch university, while twenty-one followed a traditional tutoring format. Group assignment was based on organizational criteria, reflecting a non-randomized quasi-experimental design. The relatively small sample size is attributable to the progressive implementation of the COIL program over five years, with annual cohorts of 4–6 students. Data were collected using the validated scale developed by Sáiz-Manzanares et al. (2019), assessing satisfaction with the Final Degree Project, academic self-efficacy, and perceived impact and future orientation. Internal consistency indices were examined. Independent samples t-tests were conducted, with assumptions of normality (Shapiro-Wilk test) and homogeneity of variance (Levene test) verified.
Results
Preliminary results indicate that students in the COIL track reported significantly higher levels of personal development, professional skill improvement, and overall satisfaction than those in the traditional track (p < .03 across all dimensions). These findings suggest that structured virtual international collaboration may enhance self-awareness, communication skills, and perceived professional readiness.
Conclusions
Integrating COIL into mentoring frameworks appears to support internationalization at home while strengthening mentoring effectiveness. However, findings should be interpreted cautiously given the small sample and non-randomized design. Future research should employ longitudinal and multi-institutional approaches to assess scalability and long-term impact.
