By Karen McBride
Those of us that work in international higher education, particularly in student mobility, are driven to provide high-impact experiences across borders and across cultures for the primary purpose of cultivating global citizens. Global citizenship is still an evolving concept, but generally entails the elevation of difference – a consciousness about it, how to value it, how to leverage it, how to relate to it and how to communicate within it. These skills are applicable to any situation, and the climate crisis is no different.
In fact, given that the crisis is one originating in human activity and is a multi-lateral effort, it necessitates a human-centred, multi-lateral response to counter recent trends. The response must draw upon the values, skills, experiences and realities of different cultures, and even different landscapes, for a more holistic effect. However, the greatest potential for change does not actually lie within effective program administration – it lies in effective student learning.