The study analyzes the affordances of the COIL approach – Collaborative Online International Learning – for the internationalization of higher education based on the epistemologies of the South (SANTOS, 2007) and from the perspective of affordances (VAN LIER, 2004). The data comes from questionnaires, interviews and field notes and they were analyzed by the affordances perspective The results show that the affordances of COIL are: 1) the use/practice/learning of foreign languages in higher education, 2) the strengthening of south-south relations, 3) critical thinking, 4) digital literacy and intercultural competence and skills. On the other hand, COIL’s challenges are: 1) planning according to the academic calendar of the institutions involved, 2) the choice of compatible technology and 3) the appropriate institutional support. The study concludes that COIL has the potential to foster internationalization at home in a non-hegemonic format in the Global South.

The objective of this study is to discuss possibilities of adopting digital resources for teaching/learning English as a second language (L2) within higher education contexts (in general) and within a public university in Brazil (in particular). Key aspects in the literature review (which includes approaches such as COIL, MOOCs and EMI) are compared with the scenario and activities of a university in the Global South, in order to discuss the use of digital resources in teaching/learning English as L2. Results suggest that a critical use of technologies is necessary to promote a more balanced and sustainable process for language teaching/learning. Institutional support is also fundamental for teachers and students develop skills necessary for an increasingly interconnected world. The conclusion indicates that a combination of alternative practices can foster an effective language teaching/learning process in higher education institutions, supported by digital resources.