Global Citizenship in the Context of Higher Education
As a key generic learning outcome and embedded in Australian universities’ strategic intents, global citizenship is a response to the unprecedented challenges and complexities of a continuously globalising world. It refers to the acquisition of knowledge on international relations and to the competencies of the individual to critically and responsibly engage with people and communities across the globe. Universities seem to have assumed the role of educating students to become ethical, sensitive, socially and culturally aware graduates, while they equally encourage a spirit of competi-tiveness and individual success. This research project explores and interrogates the notion and complexity of global citizenship in higher education. By drawing on postcolonial theories, in particular Edward Said’s method of discourse analysis and on the theory of dialogic learning derived from critical pedagogy, it aims to contribute to a critical conversation on the challenges and opportunities of global citizenship as an educational objective by considering four aspects: the discourse of global citizen-ship in higher education, the power of story and its opportunities, the concept of dialogue, and the purpose of the university. Based on the idea that dialogues and conversations are the fundamental starting point for creating an under-standing of cross-cultural and international relations, these aspects provide different entry points into a discussion of global citizenship. The research shows that in the Australian university context the idea of global citizenship sits within a predominantly Western paradigm and neglects to include multiple and, possibly, incompatible perspectives and methodologies into its curriculum or program design. It is suggested that universities will have to be inventive and risk-taking and their curricula interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and multifaceted both in their conceptual and practical approach if they have a genuine interest in the notion of global citizenship.
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