5 Key Takeaways from AAC&U Session on How to Communicate the Value of Global Learning

January 25, 2019 The Washington Center

5 Key Takeaways from AAC&U Session on How to Communicate the Value of Global Learning

During the 2019 AAC&U Annual Meeting, TWC attended a session focused on global learning. 

    The Washington Center is a proud sponsor of the 2019 AAC&U Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia.
    The Washington Center is a proud sponsor of the 2019 AAC&U Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia.

    The session, titled, “America or Our World First?  Communicating the Value of Universal Global Learning in an Age of Rising Nationalism” was led by one of TWC’s valued partners, Florida International University (FIU). Dr. Hilary Landorf and Dr. Stephanie Doscher of FIU’s Office of Global Learning Initiatives discussed FIU’s commitment to creating a global learning campus. Here are some of our key takeaways from this session.

    1. FIU began discussing global learning by creating a dialogue and encouraging various departments to integrate global learning into their curriculum.  Starting this conversation on campus meant that various departments found unique ways to encourage global learning.  The Office of Global Learning Initiatives was excited to find that the objectives moved beyond their office and into the culture of the institution.
    2. This cross-campus dialogue led FIU to define global learning as the process of diverse people collaboratively analyzing and addressing complex problems that transcend borders.
    3. With a definition and direction in place, the Office of Global Learning Initiatives created the Global Learning for Global Citizenship program.  The Global Learning requirement applies to all undergraduate students. They must take two global learning courses on campus and participate in integrated co-curricular activities. This helps students engage in a thoughtful, global education no matter their academic discipline.
    4. The commitment to global learning has permeated FIU’s campus.  One example of this overarching success is the undergraduate admissions office. The admissions team found that highlighting FIU’s commitment to global learning resonates with prospective students and their parents. The title “Expand your Global Reach” sits in a prominent position in the University’s admissions viewbook and helps prospective students see themselves at FIU.
    5. The success of FIU’s Global Learning Initiative is outlined in Doscher and Landorf’s 2018 book which they co-wrote with Jaffus Hardrick, “Making Global Learning Universal: Promoting Inclusion and Success for All Students.” They describe the text as a handbook for creating global learning on campus. The book uses FIU as an example of a framework that can be tailored to work on any college campus. TWC is excited to check it out!

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