Middlesex University T&L Conference 2012

1. Contributing to a Learning Planet
Global education: Internationalisation and Sustainable
Development,
June 2012
Chris Shiel
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

2. A learning Planet? Globalisation and
Sustainable Development?
HUGE
AND HIGHLY
COMPLEX
SUBJECTS
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

3. Diminishing resources
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44191000/jpg/_44191096_shrink_eart
h629x285.jpg
3
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

4. Where the system creates
winners/losers
• Big bonuses despite crisis - Royal
Bank of Scotland awarded 925 million Home repossessions
euros in bonuses to some staff for last
year, despite the bank posting a and unemployment
fourth-quarter loss of two billion euros. rising
Europe‟s „lost generation‟ - In the course of 2011,
241,000 Europeans under 25 joined the ranks of the
jobless, illustrating the depths of the EU‟s economic
crisis. In Spain and Greece almost half the young
people are out of work (Global Post)
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

5. And where inequality persists
• The 900 million people lucky • The world’s poorest 1.2
enough to live in the West: billion people:
• are responsible for 86% of • are responsible for 1.3% of
world consumption world consumption
expenditures • 4% of world energy
• 79% of the world‟s income consumption
• 58% of world energy • 5% of world fish and meat
consumption consumption
• 47% of all carbon emissions • 1.5% of all telephone lines.
• 74% of all telephone lines
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

6. The current situation may not
be sustainable
“In our interconnected world a future built on the
foundations of mass poverty in the midst of
plenty is economically inefficient, politically
unsustainable and morally indefensible.”
(Human Development Report 2005)
……..but not just a „moral crusade‟ ….
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

7. Hence the call for Sustainable
development
Development that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their needs.
(Brundtland 1987)
“Our biggest challenge in this new century is
to take an idea that seems abstract -
sustainable development - and turn it into
a reality for all the world's people.”
(Kofi Annan, UNSG, 2001)
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

8. 2005 - 2014 UNESCO Decade for Education for
Sustainable Development.
"ESD is a vision of education that seeks to balance
human and economic well-being with cultural traditions
and respect for the earth‟s natural resources. ESD
applies trans-disciplinary educational methods and
approaches to develop an ethic for lifelong learning;
fosters respect for human needs that are compatible with
sustainable use of natural resources and the needs of
the planet and nurtures a sense of global solidarity."
Curriculum and pedagogic implications???
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

9. Internationalisation
• Knight‟s (2006) definition „the process of…‟ or
• The good, the bad and the ugly (Scott 2011)
„There is an urgent need to reset the compass of
internationalisation, to steer towards the good
and away from the ugly.‟
• Higher education as a „global industry‟ where
„Competition is in danger of displacing
collaboration as the foundation for
internationalisation‟ (IAU Report 2012)
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

10. IaH - meeting changing
employment needs
• “Global businesses are increasingly recruiting globally.
Graduates who have international experience are highly
employable because they have demonstrated that they
have drive, resilience and inter-cultural sensitivities as
well as language skills.” (Brown, Archer & Barnes 2008)
• „What global companies look for are people who we think
can take a global perspective. Students are well placed
to do this if they have taken opportunities to widen their
cultural perspective. (Sonja Stockton, Director, Talent,
Pricewaterhouse Coopers in The Global Skills Gap, 2012)
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

11. The context: a Global Skills Gap
• Three-quarters (74%) of the 500 business leaders polled
worried that young people's horizons are not broad
enough to operate in a globalised and multicultural
economy.
• 93% of businesses think it is important for schools to
help young people develop the ability to think globally.
80% think schools should do more, only 2% think they
should do less.
http://www.think-global.org.uk/resources/item.asp?d=6404
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

12. Mind the gap
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

13. A need for global learning
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

14. A need for a global
perspective
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

15. At all levels in education
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

16. A holistic approach to agendas
(Shiel & Mann 2005)
Global
Perspectives
Curriculum
Extra-Curricular
Global Issues Global Processes Internationalisation Sustainable Development
Equity, injustice, poverty, Globalisation, anti- International community, Social, environmental and
health, climate change, globalisation, global curriculum, intercultural economic integration,
conflict, human rights. governance. awareness and competencies precautionary principle.
Values,
attitudes
and skills
of a global
citizen
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

17. Making sense of contested
terms in 2005
A Global Perspective:
• Enables people to understand the links between
their own lives and those of people throughout the
world
• Increases understanding of economic, social and
political forces which shape life
• Develops skills, attitudes and values to enable
people working together to bring about change for
‘common good’ and to take control of their own
lives
• Works towards a more just and sustainable world
where power and resources are more equitably
shared.
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

18. Seeking to enhance ESD
• Respect, value and preserve the achievements
of the past;
• Appreciate the wonders and the peoples of the
Earth;
• Live in a world where all people have sufficient
food for a healthy and productive life;
• Assess, care for and restore the state of our
planet;
• Create and enjoy a better safer, more just world;
• Be caring citizens who exercise their rights and
responsibilities locally, nationally and globally.
(UNESCO)
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

19. BU Vision and Values 2018
• Ensure our graduates are culturally aware and
internationally mobile by embedding the globalisation
agenda within the student experience‟ (Strategic Aim)
• Ensure that graduates develop a global perspective and
understand the need for sustainable development by
seeking to embed sustainable development across the
curriculum (Strategic Aim)
• Inspire our staff and students to enrich the world
(Strategic Aim)
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

20. Need to consider
• Curriculum
• Pedagogy
• Mobility
• Extra Curricular
• How these contribute to developing a
„global mindset, global knowledge, cultural
agility..‟
(AGR/CIHE report Global Graduates into Global Leaders, 2011)
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

21. Rethinking the curriculum:
• Is there a process for securing the internationalisation of
the curriculum and ESD?
• Challenging ourselves/ euro-centric perspectives!
• Does the content and approach promote cultural
awareness, nurturing skills and knowledge for a global
market place and SD?
• Programme ILOs that address global issues, global
processes, „inter-connectivity‟, inequality, cross cultural
sensitivity, etc
• Modules that focus specifically on Global Perspectives/
International Issues, cross-cultural capability and
competence
• Electives (and a structure) to enable students to gain
experience of volunteering, other cultures, languages.
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

22. Developing ILOs for all
provision, for example:
• Apply critical thinking skills to problems with an
international dimension
• Identify the significant global issues in the 21st century
• Display an ability to think globally and consider issues
from a variety of perspectives
• Demonstrate awareness of how local decisions and
actions have consequences for other international
communities, and the local impact of international
decisions
• Identify ethical issues that may occur in their personal
and professional lives
• Utilise decision making tools to analyse/develop
alternative, sustainable courses of action.
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

23. Exploring alternative pedagogy
• Examining a subject or issue through a global perspective means to take a
broader approach that:
• values methodologies, techniques and academic analysis from other
cultures
• challenges and discards prejudice
• considers with sensitivity the effect of our actions on others locally and
globally, both now and in the future
• questions Eurocentric, rich world, restricted perspectives and takes into
account viewpoints and circumstances from all regions of the world
• presents learners with the capacity to calculate the risks of decision making
• acknowledges the global forces that affect us all and promotes justice and
equality
• empowers learners to bring about change
• Seeks opportunities to develop students international awareness and
competence
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

24. Reinforcing the alignment with
employability
• A global perspective is a broader perspective of the
subject and facilitates the development of students
who are
• Self Reliant (global awareness heightens self-
awareness/confidence)
• Connected (global citizens work as part of a team, appreciate
diversity/equity)
• Well rounded (self-awareness and self-efficacy)
• Critical reflectors (challenging knowledge, appreciating risk)
• Specialist („subject knowledge‟ but also recognise intercultural
issues, ethical dilemmas and global context of own professional
practice)
• Sensitive to diversity (conscious of self/other)
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

25. Mobility: a piece of the
„internationalisation‟ jigsaw
UK Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Typology:
• mobility for an entire programme of study (diploma
mobility)
• for part of a programme (credit mobility)
• other voluntary moves undertaken for a range of
personal reasons.
• Curriculum (study/work placement)
• Extra curricular (summer
schools/volunteering/internships)
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

26. Mobility contributes to
developing:
• awareness, knowledge and skills to operate in
multicultural contexts and across cultural boundaries
• Personal and professional development and enhanced
employability
• Language skills – context/idioms
• values commensurate with those of responsible global
citizenship
• Connectivity: social/career networks
• Enhanced human capital
(HEFCE - British Council 2009 International Student mobility Literature Review; HEFCE
2009, Attainment in Higher Education )
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

27. However: 'Next Generation: UK’
research by British Council 2011
• 2/3 felt they had an „international outlook‟ but students generally
failed to see the links between international experiences and their
own employability
• Only 18 percent of young people said they had done, or definitely
planned to work, study or volunteer abroad, despite almost nine out
of 10 saying that such experiences were a great opportunity.
• When students who had enjoyed international experience were
asked what they felt they had gained, only 12% listed „work contacts
for future employment‟.
• Mobility tends to be exclusive
http://www.britishcouncil.org/new/PageFiles/15492/YouGov_Report_v3.pdf
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

28. Remembering virtual mobility
and global learning on campus
• Capitalising on campus
diversity - Multicultural learning
is promoted in courses (and part
of assessment) and in the extra-
curricular sphere
• “Virtual mobility” through e-
learning and computer
conferencing
• Interactivity and
communication - students are
encouraged to learn from inter-
cultural interaction, and informal
exchanges on their respective
learning and living contexts.
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

29. Ensuring that all our approaches contribute to
producing graduates
• Who understand their responsibility for the
future.
• Who are employable because they
• Understand the bigger picture
• Can see the global in the local
• Are mobile
• Cross-culturally aware
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

30. Developing their capacity
• Seeing connections – systemic thinking
• Imagining a better future – visioning
• Critical thinking and reflection
• Participating in decision-making
• Building collaborative partnerships
• Self in relation to other
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

31. TNE – huge potential for developing GC but
maximising sustainable development?
• Economic driver
• Enhancing the brand – presence
• Is it maximising the contribution to Internationalisation?
• Is it maximising contribution to the world?
• Issues
• Risk
• Quality
• Resourcing/staffing
• May undermine local HE striving to respond to
national needs.
But ……
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

32. Institutional Challenges
• Connecting agendas; overcoming silo mentality
• Balancing regionalisation with globalisation
• Enlightened leadership: strategy, structure, resources
• Ensuring internationalisation and SD permeate all
aspects of university life
• Coherent approach to curriculum development/
advancing inclusive pedagogy
• Structures/resources to enhance mobility, make it
inclusive and reinforce employability
• Ensuring partnership work is truly collaborative, creates
synergy and is a vehicle for GC and SD.
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

33. Contributing to a learning
planet?
• „Only when an international ethos pervades
everything that we do, can we say that we make
an effective contribution to global education.‟ (Shiel
2008)
• The challenge: The global economy
demands global thinking. We are
preparing learners for a future that is
evolving , uncertain and global - that future
needs to be sustainable.
www.bournemouth.ac.uk

34. What sort of future do we want?
• What learning is required?
• What do we need to change?
• What will be the legacy of our approach?
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6eTr4ld
DYg&feature=fvwrel
www.bournemouth.ac.uk