For online participants:

Please read the following summary of ‘Recommendations’ on your own first.

Discuss in the group – What if any of these recommendations can I help with?

Please use the ‘chat function’ on Teams as a ‘commitment space’.  Write at least one action you can take, no matter how small, to make any of these a reality. Please indicate if you are a student or staff or ‘other’!  many thanks

Generic Recommendations

Recognise GCDE as a Discipline in its own right or a clear field of study within ‘Education’:

Acknowledge Global Citizenship Development Education (GCDE) as a distinct discipline or within the field of Education, grounded in its robust social justice, radical, academic, and activist tradition. This acknowledgment would show that UCC is listening to the resounding student interest which is revealed in the survey. A substantial 75.48% of 498 students (survey) expressed an interest in participating in accredited GCDE modules, affirming the necessity for comprehensive and specialised studies in global justice and development. 100% of 23 students interviewed individually said that GCDE should be a discipline in UCC.

Terminology Clarification:

Establish a clear description of GCDE concepts and principles, fostering communication among stakeholders.  While GCDE should not be reduced to a ‘standardised definition’, it is clear that there is great confusion about GCDE and particularly how it differs from (1) UCC policy on the SDGs and (2) Education for Sustainable Development. Such a discussion on language would also promote interdisciplinary dialogue and streamlines the process of curriculum development.

Develop accessible resources that clearly define and differentiate GCDE or Critical Global Justice Education from related concepts such as Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ensure that stakeholders understand the distinct focus and objectives of GCDE.

Launch awareness campaigns and training sessions to foster a clear understanding of GCDE’s role in promoting social, economic, political, and environmental justice.

Stakeholder Recommendations

STUDENTS

ADVOCATE FOR GCDE INTEGRATION: Collaborate with student unions, societies and interested staff, to push for the inclusion of GCDE modules and courses within degree programs. With 75.48% of students showing interest in a survey and 100% in interviews, there is substantial demand for global justice education.

PARTICIPATE IN CURRICULUM DESIGN: Engage with staff and academic boards to co-create GCDE courses. Student involvement ensures that their perspectives shape the educational trajectory.

ACADEMICS AND SCHOOLS

EMBRACE INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES: Foster interdisciplinary collaboration among faculties to develop dynamic GCDE courses. This aligns with the preference of 76.77% of students for interdisciplinary courses.

AMPLIFY EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING: Forge partnerships with NGOs and expand non-academic activities to provide students with practical learning opportunities addressing global justice issues.

DEVELOP GCDE MODULES: Collaborate to create GCDE modules that align with existing courses, offering insights into global citizenship within specialized fields.

CONTINUOUS RESEARCH: SUPPORT RESEARCH INITIATIVES: Encourage research on innovative pedagogical methods and curriculum development.

BRIDGE THEORY AND PRACTICE: Foster research collaboration between scholars, educators, and students.

UCC SENIOR MANAGEMENT, ADMINISTRATIVE AND POLICY STAFF

ALLOCATE RESOURCES FOR GCDE DEVELOPMENT: Provide dedicated resources for staff training, curriculum refinement, and establishing GCDE-focused departments or programmes.

INCLUDE GCDE IN STRATEGIC PLANS: Ensure GCDE is explicitly included in university strategic plans to underscore its significance.

PROMOTE GLOBAL JUSTICE SCHOLARSHIPS or OTHER SUPPORT MECHANISMS: Establish scholarships to support students excelling in GCDE studies, fostering change-makers for global justice.

EMPLOYERS AND WIDER SOCIETY

FOSTER BUSINESS-EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS: Collaborate with industries and employers to provide practical learning opportunities that integrate global citizenship skills.

HIGHLIGHT SKILL DEVELOPMENT: Showcase how GCDE equips students with skills like cross-cultural communication and problem-solving.

EMBED GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP IN GRADUATES’ PROFILES: Collaborate with employers to integrate global citizenship attributes into students’ profiles.

SHOWCASE EMPLOYER BENEFITS: Demonstrate the advantages of hiring graduates with strong global citizenship skills.

CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIsATIONS AND NGOs

FACILITATE STUDENT INVOLVEMENT: Provide platforms for students to engage in community, development and global citizenship initiatives applying GCDE principles.

COLLABORATE ON INNOVATIVE PROJECTS: Collaborate with educational institutions for projects addressing global challenges.

funders AND GOVERNMENT BODIES

PROMOTE GCDE IN POLICIES: Advocate for integrating GCDE into national education policies (Higher Education)

ALLOCATE FUNDING: Dedicate funding to initiatives promoting GCDE.

INVEST IN GCDE INITIATIVES: Allocate resources for the expansion of GCDE programmes.

LISTEN

SUPPORT RESEARCH AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT: Direct funding towards innovative pedagogical methods and curriculum design.

All: LOCAL AND GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT

STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIPS: Foster partnerships between local communities, global organizations, and educational institutions.

ENCOURAGE GLOBAL COLLABORATIONS: Support cross-border collaborations among institutions.

 

all: INNOVATION IN EDUCATION

PEDAGOGY AND ASSESSMENT: Explore project-based learning, VR simulations, and global collaborative workshops.

RESEARCH AND PROJECTS: Engage in community-based research and data-driven analysis.

INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION: Organize hackathons, collaborate with artists, and explore AI’s impact on global justice.

CURRICULUM DESIGN INNOVATION

PERSONALISED LEARNING PATHS: Develop tailored learning paths for students.

DECOLONIAL APPROACHES: Incorporate decolonial perspectives into GCDE curriculum.

FUTURES THINKING: Introduce futures thinking methodologies.

All: PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS

ENCOURAGE EMPLOYERS TO UNDERSTAND GCDE: Engage employers to appreciate the value of global citizenship skills.

FORGE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS: Collaborate with industries to create opportunities for students to apply their knowledge.