This study seeks to improve construction education by incorporating Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) into the curriculum to cultivate intercultural abilities and foster internationalisation among built environment students at universities of technology. As construction increasingly depends on global perspectives and collaborative effort, it is imperative to provide students with intercultural competencies. The study utilised a qualitative research approach, collecting data via questionnaires and conducting focus group discussions with students involved in COIL projects. The questionnaire evaluated students’ intercultural competences and perspectives regarding COIL's influence on their education, whereas the focus groups offered more profound insights into students’ experiences, as well as the challenges and advantages of COIL integration. Research demonstrates that COIL efforts substantially improve students’ cultural awareness, adaptability, and collaboration abilities, which are essential in the contemporary construction industry. The findings highlight the significance of COIL in cultivating a globally competitive educational atmosphere at universities of applied sciences. Moreover, students indicated enhanced confidence in interacting with varied perspectives and implementing global best practices. The findings substantiate the assertion that COIL integration is an efficacious approach for augmenting intercultural skills and global preparedness in built environment curricula, hence strengthening construction education.