Higher education and IGE play a vital role in improving the behavior of students and in improving the society. In many countries, it is the responsibility of higher institutions to contribute to the progress of good values in the democracy. It is no secret that universities are viewed as centers of academic excellence which impart skills and knowledge to many of the world’s global leaders. This paper seeks to reveal how higher education and IGE are supporting global citizenship and community engagement. This is done through volunteering opportunities, sustainability, democratic participation, and diversity.
Volunteering is one of the ways in which IGE and higher education contributes to good global citizenship (Sarah, et. Al, 9). Citizens of the world or global citizens are famous for their community involvement. This eventually leads them to volunteerism and their services are required in libraries, homes for the aged, churches and town halls among other places. Higher education and IGE provides an opportunity for students to actively participate in such organizations through such activities. The advantage of this is that the volunteer learns a lot about how non-profit agencies work and learn to give to various charities. Among other activities volunteers, who are mostly university students, engage in peer-assisted schemes, mentoring, open days, and sometimes work as union representatives. The chances of securing employment are also greatly increased due to the graduate understanding organizational structures and procedures. To add on to that, volunteering allows students to become aware of how their communities function and aid in community integration. It is no surprise therefore that students who engage in volunteerism during the course of their academic life later give back to charities in future. This enables them to enhance their relationships within the community and raise their self-esteem.
Environmental sustainability is yet another way universities and other higher learning institutions can foster global citizenship (Philip, et. Al, 215). Global citizens are usually more aware of their environment and tend to care for it more than their non-global counterparts. The knowledge acquired in the university also aids the volunteer to be mindful of their environment. Many more tend to support charities and groups that stand for environmental sustainability. Higher education and IGE allow students make independent decisions concerning what products to purchase, what foods to eat, and where to live. This in essence is enabling them exercise their right to freedom. The ability to make the conscious decision on themselves to protect the environment goes a long way in ensuring that they all make green choices in future. This includes protection of biodiversity, recycling methods and reducing greenhouse emissions. Universities and colleges funds also research programs designed to address issues such as food production and sustainable energy. Students increase their knowledge and awareness of how sustainability impacts the society. These activities aid the students to be upright global citizens through environmental sustainability.
Engagement on a democratic level is another way that higher education and IGE can create global citizens (William, " Schmidt, 475). This is because universities and colleges are usually recognized as centers of knowledge creation and public debate. Students can therefore challenge established practices, question expressions of authority, and resist conventional wisdom .They also empower students to participate in decision-making processes in the institution. Other activities such as getting elected into a trade union helps to ensure there is accountability on the administrators end. The democracy of these elections also matters since it is the students themselves who choose their representative. Aspirants vying for different posts in the student union acquire skills such as diplomacy, public speaking, meeting processes, and negotiation. The registration of voters in universities and colleges is another aspect of higher learning institutions undertaking democratic engagement. Centers of higher learning enhance the level of democratic engagement using peer mentoring schemes and networks such as community support groups. Consequently, higher education and IGE support global citizenship by encouraging democratic engagement.
The high level of community engagement at colleges and universities supports the development of global citizens (Sarah, et. Al, 9). Students have an important role in alleviating the social tensions due to anti-social education and the transient form of higher education. In addition to that, local authorities come and teach the students on how to avoid social vices and are supported by law enforcement agencies who do the same. Sports clubs and teams provide students with opportunities to interact with members of the local community. Institutions of higher learning also foster global citizenship and community engagement by helping students openly participate in some community festivals and events and hence lead to cohesion. This helps the students to understand societal needs. In some cases, instructors may assume that their students are ignorant of academic concepts. However, problem-posing types of learning address the banking concept of education by allowing students and teachers to learn from one another Failure to participate in local activities can make one gloomy and dull. It can be deduced that students with a higher sense of awareness and social responsibility can make stronger contributions towards global citizenship and community involvement.
Higher education and IGE also equips students to cope with the demands of being a global citizen through interaction. It enables them to appreciate that personal actions have consequences of global magnitude. Life skills such as critical thinking, ethical literacy, diversity, equality and social justice are some of the tools that can be used to ensure peaceful coexistence with other global citizens and yield prosperity (Philip, et. Al, 215). The curriculum in most higher learning institutions is internationalized so that students can interact well with others from diverse backgrounds. Students from different countries engage in exchange programs that enable them to work and study in other countries. This is later reflected in the job market in future when the student goes for international field trips that are work related. Students are also encouraged to focus their research on multicultural themes and international speakers booked for speaking engagements at their institutions. This is all in a bid to foster global citizenship.
It can therefore be concluded that IGE and higher education enhances community involvement and global citizenship through volunteering, environmental sustainability, democratic engagement, and community engagement practices. Volunteering greatly increases the students’ chances of getting employed not to mention engaging in volunteering activities in future. Environmental sustainability is the backbone of enabling the students protect and care for their environment regardless of their global location. Democratic engagement aids in ensuring good leadership qualities as part of the global citizen personality. It is the basis of these factors that form the ideologies of the global citizen in the minds of these students as they go out into the world after completing their studies.
Works Cited
Goodier, Sarah, Carren Field, and Suki Goodman. "The need for theory evaluation in global citizenship programmes: The case of the GCSA programme." Evaluation and program planning 66 (2018): 7-19.
Bamber, Philip, David Lewin, and Morgan White. "(Dis-) Locating the transformative dimension of global citizenship education." Journal of Curriculum Studies 50.2 (2018): 204-230.
Gaudelli, William, and Sandra J. Schmidt. "Global citizenship education and geography." The Palgrave Handbook of Global Citizenship and Education. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2018. 473-487.
