Douglas Bourn

From Internationalisation to Global Perspectives.

Over the past decade, many universities have re-evaluated their roles and approaches towards learning in the context of a globalised society. Some institutions have responded to globalisation by marketing themselves more effectively internationally. Others have responded by promoting ideas such as graduates as global citizens or by focusing on specific challenges associated with globalisation, such as sustainable development. Using UK examples, this article reviews the different ways in which universities are responding to globalisation. It will suggest that a framework of global perspectives, based on initiatives developed at Bournemouth University, can play a role in challenging orthodoxies about internationalisation and globalisation in higher education. Through the experiences of UK higher education in engineering, it will discuss the challenges and rewards of pursuing global perspectives as a response to globalisation.

Global perspectives for global professionals in the UK: engaging students within engineering and health

The discourses around globalisation and internationalisation within higher education to date have tended to focus on institutional change. While recognising the importance of these debates, this paper suggests that issues around curriculum change and teaching and learning through global professions such as health and engineering have so far been largely neglected. Using evidence from the UK and Ireland, the paper looks particularly at how students perceive the importance and value of global perspectives to their professions. It concludes by noting that there is evidence of interest in integrating global perspectives within health and engineering degree courses from students, but that this raises major challenges concerning discipline-based knowledge, valuing differing perspectives and approaches towards teaching and learning.

Teachers as Agents of Social Change.

Teachers are seen as key actors of change within programmes and projects on global learning. But all too often they are regarded in an instrumental way or as promoters of some form of ideal global teacher. Evidence from the UK and elsewhere suggests that if a pedagogical approach is taken to the role of teachers within the process of learning, then three distinct locations of teachers as change agents can be identified. These are as change agents within the classroom, within the wider school, and within society as a whole.

Global citizenship and youth participation

The Global Citizenship and Youth Participation in Europe Report identifies the context within with the Schools for Future Youth Project takes place in terms of evidence on young peoples engagement in society through Global Citizenship in formal education across Europe. The Report identifies the needs of young people and teachers to effectively engage in Global Citizenship Education through a participatory model and reviews current policies and practices that are relevant to securing more effective teacher and young peoples engagement in Global Citizenship Education. The Report also proposes models of practice and specific approaches that could secure a greater and more effective engagement from young people and teachers across Europe. A full set of policy recommendations to support wider implementation of Global Citizenship Education across Europe will be available from this website in 2018. Short briefing reports are also available for Civil Society Organisations; Policy-Makers and Teachers.

Global Learning for Global Colleges: creating opportunities for greater access to international learning for 16-25 year olds

This article explores the extent to which it is possible to incorporate global learning within the further education (FE) curriculum, drawing on the findings from the ‘Global Learning for Global Colleges’ (2009–2012) research and development project, funded by the Department for International Development (DfID). Against a background of increasing pressures on the FE sector, the project worked with six colleges in England to develop initiatives to promote global learning in the curriculum. Qualitative data were collected through observations, interviews, questionnaires and phone or email conversations with staff. The research defines global learning as not just a focus on developing skills for responding to an increasingly globalised world, but an approach to learning based on a concern for social justice, developing learners who see the relevance of their learning about global issues for their everyday and future lives. A number of factors are identified as having an influence on the process of incorporating global learning: existing institutional priorities and overseas partnerships; personal experience and enthusiasm of staff; level of subject and profile of students; exam and syllabus requirements. The findings illustrate both an enthusiasm for global learning, with colleges developing creative ways of exploring global issues with learners, and numerous challenges. The research suggests that local factors are critical and that, in the absence of a national policy requirement for global learning, these local factors need to be supported if colleges are to develop their approaches still further.

Education quality and social justice in the Global South: challenges for policy, practice and research. Edited by L. Tikly and A. M. Barrett

This edited volume is part of a series looking at debates on how to achieve education for all. At a time when there are major global debates about what succeeds the Millennium Development Goals, th...