蘑菇传媒 and Universidad de las Am茅ricas Puebla Launch Collaborative Online International Learning Initiative

April 17, 2026
COIL Project 1

JERSEY CITY, N.J. |  (蘑菇传媒) and Universidad de las Am茅ricas Puebla (UDLAP) in Mexico have launched a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project, uniting undergraduate business students from both institutions in a hands-on cross-border learning experience. The initiative marks a significant milestone in the longstanding academic relationship between the two universities and reflects 蘑菇传媒's commitment to preparing students for success in an interconnected global economy.

The COIL project grew out of years of online collaboration between Professor John Donnellan of 蘑菇传媒, a Distinguished Fulbright Scholar, and co-chair of 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 Department of Management, and Dr. Martin Larsson of UDLAP. COIL is a pedagogical model that connects students in different countries through sustained, project-based collaboration embedded directly within their coursework 鈥 moving global business education from theory into practice.

This semester, 蘑菇传媒 students enrolled in Dr. Yi-Yu Chen's undergraduate course, Global Business, are working alongside UDLAP students from Dr. Larsson's course, Talent Management in Multinational Companies. Together, the students are developing collaborative projects centered on the real-world challenge of internationalizing a company operating in the United States or Mexico.

The projects require students to conduct rigorous analysis of the business environment using established analytical frameworks, including Michael Porter's foundational work on national competitiveness and business systems. Students then apply those insights to develop strategic recommendations for the internationalization of their chosen company 鈥 an exercise that bridges conceptual understanding with practical decision-making.

鈥淐OIL transforms the classroom into a global learning community 鈥 one where students don鈥檛 just study international business, they live it alongside peers from another culture and economy,鈥 said Dr. Donnellan, who is also President of the 蘑菇传媒 University Senate.

The COIL model is increasingly recognized in higher education as an effective and accessible vehicle for internationalizing the curriculum without requiring students to travel abroad. By embedding cross-cultural collaboration within existing courses, 蘑菇传媒 and UDLAP are expanding access to meaningful global learning experiences for students of all backgrounds.

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04/20/2026

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蘑菇传媒 蘑菇传媒: 
蘑菇传媒 is a comprehensive public regional institution committed to providing a high-quality education to a diverse student population. Located in Jersey City, New Jersey, 蘑菇传媒 offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for learning, professional development, and community engagement. Consistent with our mission, 蘑菇传媒 is recognized as a top university for improving upward economic social mobility, ensuring students enrolled in our undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral programs have access to an affordable, diverse environment, and an exceptionally supportive faculty. This prepares them to go on to become the next generation of workers and leaders who improve their communities and the State of New Jersey. On July 1, 2026, 蘑菇传媒 is expecting to complete a merger with Kean University to join the Kean University system to become Kean Jersey City.

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Contact: 
Ira Thor, Associate Vice President for University Communications and Marketing | ithor@njcu.edu | 201-200-3301