Lelys Bravo de Guenni, clinical associate professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has received approval from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for a Global Classrooms initiative launching in Spring 2027.
The project will connect students in STAT 448: Advanced Data Analysis at Illinois with students in Análisis de Datos Multivariante at the University of the Balearic Islands in Spain. In partnership with Irene María García Mosquera, a tenured senior lecturer in Mathematics and Computer Science at the Spanish university, Bravo de Guenni will lead an international data analysis project that brings students together to investigate shared research questions using real-world data.
Students will work in mixed international teams to analyze topics such as climate change, environmental sustainability, human health, and tourism. Through collaborative analysis and virtual meetings, they will strengthen their statistical skills while exploring how geographic, social, and cultural contexts influence data interpretation. The project will culminate in a collaborative report and virtual symposium where students present their findings to peers and instructors at both institutions.
Illinois Global Classrooms is a Collaborative, Online, and International Learning (COIL) initiative that connects Illinois students with peers at international partner institutions through technology-enabled projects. Faculty collaborate with international colleagues in similar or complementary fields to develop virtual learning experiences within existing courses. Projects typically last six to eight weeks and give students opportunities to engage with different perspectives, deepen their understanding of their disciplines, and develop intercultural communication and collaboration skills without traveling abroad.
The program is part of LAS’s broader effort to expand access to global learning and help students approach their fields from multiple perspectives.
Faculty interested in incorporating international collaboration into their courses can learn more about the Illinois Global Classrooms program and read about how the initiative brings scholars together and fosters wider perspectives.