Higher education institutions are faced with the challenge of developing global competence in students to prepare them for rapidly changing and interconnected world. This article provides insights from Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s (SJTU) experiences in delivering Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) courses through its “SDG July Camp” program. It explores the challenges and takeaways in scaling up COIL courses as an institutional initiative, highlighting the importance of fostering global competence in higher education. SJTU’s SDG July Camp offers selected courses related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), providing students with opportunities to interact with peers from diverse cultural and disciplinary backgrounds and develop cross-cultural communication skills. The article also discusses the role of SDGs in promoting the internationalization of course content. It aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on fostering global competence in university students and the effectiveness of COIL in achieving this goal.
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