Internationalization of Education: Global Issues & Trends

University of Geneva via Coursera

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Provider

Coursera
Pricing

Free Online Course (Audit)
Languages

English
Certificate

Paid Certificate Available
Duration & workload

19 hours 33 minutes
Sessions

On-Demand
Level

Beginner
Subtitles

English

Found in

Overview

Class Central Tips

A child born in 2020 is projected into an interconnected, interdependent world, in which local events can have global resonances and in which international phenomena impact the daily lives of many individuals. In order to prepare for this, not only the school, but also all the actors who make up the world of education must grasp new challenges characterized by an unprecedented internationalization. The main objective of this MOOC is to understand how events that are far away from school actors can impact their daily life: to do so, we will proceed by playing with scale and will alternate between presentations of global issues and local responses. The second key objective is to better understand the themes that structure what we will call here the field of international education; in other words, an education impacted by the interdependencies of the world. We will deal with migration, forced migration, North-South relations, international cooperation and global citizenship education. Through modules and lessons, you will have the keys to better understand these themes and resources to deepen their understanding. You will be able to mobilize concepts and various theoretical resources to analyze, put into perspective and criticize the developments that the world of education is following in a globalized context.

Syllabus

From national educational policies to their internationalization

This first module is designed to introduce you to the overall theme of the course: internationalization of education. By defining educational policies and globalization, you will see the links between them and their effects on education systems. You will also see how various international organizations are key players in these internationalization processes. The aim of the course is to help you understand how events on a global scale can impact local or national education systems. This first module is therefore a springboard for placing education at the heart of an interdependent, globalized and increasingly complex world.

Global migrations: a path to internationalization

Global migrations are a path to internationalization, as well as one of the effects of globalization. Populations migrate, flee, and are always in search of something better or of survival. In this respect, migration has implied many changes, both in terms of educational policies and in the very conception of educational models. In systems where schools have traditionally been seen as a means of consolidating a Nation-State, migration has led to a rethinking of the place of identities, borders and the cultural dimension of education. In some cases, it is the forced nature of migration that will call for new educational policies, sometimes conceived as a matter of urgency, with the aim of responding rapidly to the needs of the most vulnerable pupils: refugee children. In this module, we explore this panorama of international migration and its effects on education. Through this theme, we will see how international events have repercussions on local actions.

International cooperation in education: actors and issues

It is common today to receive calls for funds for international cooperation projects in education: these projects are numerous, often aiming at noble objectives such as the development of educational structures, or teacher education, all with the aim of allowing the greatest number of children to have access to quality education, all over the world. However, these projects, their conception and their implementation can be questioned: when did this type of initiative emerge; what is the vision of the world and more particularly of North-South relations? How are they implemented and with what collaboration with local communities? These are the questions that inspired this module. This is why we will explore together the origins, but also the current challenges of international cooperation in education: to understand its potential, while keeping in mind its limitations.

Global South's perspectives on internationalization of education

These days, if you are looking for an article on an educational topic, chances are you will come across one in English or French. Indeed, most of the theoretical frameworks and authors referenced will come from European or North American academic circles. And yet, the voices of the South are neither silent nor non-existent. They participate in the internationalization of education, insofar as North-South relations are an important part of the action of international organizations active in education, and the South is the subject of numerous educational reforms guided by the process of internationalization. In this module, we propose to understand what the Global South is, its place in international educational relations, and the issues underlying the way in which the South is viewed. Finally, the last lesson aims to open up your educational perspectives by introducing you to pedagogies and pedagogues from the South.

Global citizenship and sustainability in education

A prominent example of how education is becoming more international is the development of the concept of Global Citizenship Education. Since it was used by Ban Ki-Moon in 2012, it has become a leading theme in the educational world. International organizations and universities alike have taken it up. This concept crosses the issues of citizenship and sustainable development, which is why these two dimensions will be addressed in the module. As they represent major trends in education today, the module's primary objective is to give you access to the meaning of these concepts, but also to the tensions that characterize them.

International education : towards global and local governance of education

In this module, we will try to understand how the governance of education is becoming increasingly international. Guided by international agendas, objectives are being harmonized between states. Monitoring processes are also becoming more international and concepts such as efficiency, quality, privatization... are found in many contexts in the North as well as the South. Through this module, we will try to identify the elements of this global governance, but also the underlying issues.