Localised Citizens in a Global Context: a Way Forward

Yee Teng Low, WHEC2022 Student blogger

?“Think globally and act locally” is a simple, meaningful phrase that catches the essence of Global Citizenship, but it needs to be relevant to localised audiences before using it in a global context. This was a theme of a session on Global Citizenship at the UNESCO World Higher Education Conference (WHEC2022) last week.

?This is exactly how I feel as a Global Citizen. The issues that happen locally also occur globally. When we began a small movement for local needs, indirectly it impacts the globe through transformation, innovation, and projection.

As global leaders, we need always be concerned about global issues so that we know enough to carry out critical analysis of what is happening on a national level. However, it is important to keep our identity and our own values while we bring our cultures out to the world, as we want to celebrate the beauty of the diversity in our home country and share it widely, said Samia Chasi of the International Education Association of South Africa, during a session on global citizenship and higher education.

She said South African – and, by extension, all-African perspectives –?should not be dominated by Northern and Western parties, but need to centre on South Africa.

Mobility is key to exploring, experiencing, and engaging with global culture. However, international students are always being treated differently by teachers, staff, or student leaders, she said. It is important for every party to celebrate diversity and togetherness – “If you want to go fast, you go alone. If you want to go far, we go together.”

Global citizens “are not just you and your country but all of us in our world.” We should work together without discrimination of colour, background, or gender for a brighter future.

As a former mobility student, this touched me. Global citizens “are not just you and your country but all of us in our world.” We should work together without discrimination of colour, background, or gender for a brighter future.

The pandemic taught us the lesson that being respectful, tolerant, open-minded, and flexible will be key to the success of the 2030 SDGs agenda.?

Global citizenship means integration

Last but not least, global citizenship means integration, said Chasi. “Leave no one behind”. Whether an academic, technician, student, senior or junior, we are all the same, working under the same roof and the same sky for a sustainable, resilient, peaceful, and harmonious world beyond 2030. We do not have any more time to wait. We need action now so that we do not regret inaction later, she said.

I strongly support this, as united we stand, divided we fall. Remember, we are now tackling global issues together for a greater world. The world needs ‘professionals’ to assist people in global citizenship transformation. Student leaders need the soft skills to identify, analyse, negotiate, innovate, and take action in tackling global issues. That will be the future trend in the job market – a global job market.

The University is a microcosm of the global community and we celebrate diversity within the university.

Karin Reiter, Adecco Group, Global Head of ESG/Sustainability questioned whether the university provides the skills that the market needs.

She pointed to a huge skills gap among fresh graduates saying it is time to overcome the barrier between universities and vocational institutions and have a “pentagonal discussion” with all the stakeholders in the global community to handle this.

Market-relevant skills

Francisco Lamus Lemus, assistant professor at Universidad de La Sabana in Colombia, also said universities should provide students with skills that are market-relevant. Universities need to know the real conditions of the market and prepare students accordingly, taking students out to communities to experience the differences and develop competence, flexibility, and adaptation skills.

A global web of expertise can be achieved by connecting institutions and creating partnerships toward a sustainable, resilient future of higher education institutions. I believe that this defines true global citizenship – Connection is important nowadays to unite people for the common goal of the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals 2030.?

Aulia Iskandarsyah, associate professor at Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia, said universities need to collaborate with each other on SDGs. It is important for student leaders to exchange their ideas about specific goals and targets with university experts in order to maximize benefits and human welfare globally.

For more articles on WHEC2022 & the SDG's visit University World News

Yee Teng Low is Malaysian, studying for a Bachelors Degree of Science (Conservation Biology) at the Faculty of Tropical Forestry, Universiti Malaysia Sabah. He is currently doing an internship with the Innoprise-Face Foundation Logged Forest Rehabilitation Project in Lahad Datu, Sabah. He is an Alumnus of the Asian International Mobility for Students (AIMS) Programme, SEAMEO RIHED and a Global Citizen who loves to stay in nature and is passionate about working on culture, knowledge and experience sharing. He founded the RAKUN platform in line with Sustainable Development Goals 2030.?