What Does Global Citizenship Mean for Students?

What is global citizenship, and why is it vital in today’s interconnected world? For students, understanding global citizenship helps build a sense of responsibility beyond borders. It shapes their awareness of global issues and encourages empathy, collaboration, and meaningful action.

As the world becomes increasingly globalised, raising globally minded children is no longer optional but essential. Discover how your child can become a global citizen in our article. Let’s get started!

Table Of Contents

What is Global Citizenship?
Benefits of Global Citizenship for Students
How Schools Promote Global Citizenship in the Classroom
Raise Your Child to Become a Global Citizen with UNIS Hanoi

What is Global Citizenship?

Global citizenship is a mindset and practice where individuals see themselves as part of a broader global community.

It involves recognising the interdependence of people and nations, appreciating compassion, and undertaking responsibilities that make the world a better place without exclusivity.

Global citizens respect cultural differences, value human rights, practice responsible social citizenship, and support environmental causes.

For example, a student who participates in international service projects, engages in environmental sustainability initiatives, or raises awareness about social justice concerns shows traits of a global citizen.

They might work to provide funding for clean water projects in underprivileged countries or interact with other students digitally to tackle international issues collaboratively.

These students show they are global citizens through their awareness, compassion, and willingness to take action.

At its core, global citizenship is more than an abstract ideal. It is an active, conscious way of living that nurtures empathy, accountability, and global engagement.

In cultivating global citizens, we equip youth with the potential to become leaders and change agents.

Benefits of Global Citizenship for Students

Global citizenship education offers various benefits that extend beyond academic success. Students who adopt this perspective gain invaluable tools for navigating an increasingly complex world.

Benefits of global citizenship for students include:

Broader Perspective: Students become increasingly aware of cultural diversity and global interdependence. They appreciate how the happenings in one part of the world can greatly influence another, prompting them to think more critically and compassionately.
Personal Growth: While addressing global challenges, students undergo self-discovery, which teaches them about themselves and others. They gain confidence, ethical awareness, and a stronger sense of identity. In addition, they learn to cultivate resilience, humility, and greater openness for personal development.
Improved Problem-solving Skills: Students need to devise novel solutions to world problems, which requires them to think differently and from various angles. Students put their minds together to come up with new methods while analysing intricate data.
Educational and Cultural Enrichment: Through language acquisition, students gain historical, social, and scientific knowledge, developing intercultural competence. Field trips, cultural exchanges, and global classroom projects further enrich students’ learning.
Enhanced Career Opportunities: Employers highly value global citizens for their adaptability, cultural fluency, cross-border collaboration, and responsible innovation. Their competency also makes them better equipped for various jobs and career paths.

Ultimately, global citizenship education shapes students to become informed, responsible, and active participants in society.

How Schools Promote Global Citizenship in the Classroom

Fostering global citizenship allows students to participate in the classroom with informed attitudes and skills for authentic engagement. It begins with a curriculum and school culture that promote critical thinking, cultural understanding, and responsible action.

Asking Questions

Encouraging open-ended questions allows students to think about global issues, culture, and social justice, supporting their self-directed learning.

Boosting inquiry fosters the ability to think critically, engage, and interact with diverse, multilayered ideas.

At UNIS Hanoi, we implement this through project-based learning, the IB curriculum, and inquiry-based lessons.

Students pose essential questions such as “How does climate change affect different regions?” or “What are the causes of global inequality?” This approach cultivates deeper engagement and independent thinking.

Making Connections

Recognising the links between personal experiences and global systems allows students to see the relevance of global citizenship in their daily lives.

Making connections helps them understand how local actions influence global outcomes and vice versa. It reinforces the idea that these issues are not abstract but deeply personal and interconnected.

We at UNIS Hanoi encourage students to draw links between their personal lives and global themes through integrated units of inquiry, collaborative projects, and cross-cultural exchanges.

For instance, when studying local water use, students explore access to clean water in other parts of the world, recognising both similarities and disparities.

Exploring Viewpoints and Values

A key component of global citizenship is appreciating different viewpoints and respecting diverse values. This includes reflecting on one’s own beliefs and being open to others.

Our classrooms at UNIS Hanoi provide safe, inclusive spaces for dialogue. Students engage in discussions about global ethics, human rights, and cultural differences, guided by teachers trained in intercultural competence.

Activities like Model United Nations (MUN) simulations and literature circles cultivate understanding and appreciation of differing perspectives.

Responding as Active Global Citizens

Beyond awareness, global citizenship also includes responsible action.

Schools must give students opportunities to apply their learning in real-world contexts, making positive contributions to their communities and the wider world.

Active participation strengthens civic responsibility and personal agency.

UNIS Hanoi promotes active global citizenship through our Service Learning curriculum and Community Programmes, and more.

Our students conduct recycling drives, partner with local NGOs, and run awareness campaigns for international humanitarian initiatives.

These experiences encourage students to become proactive contributors to global well-being.

Assessing Learning

In global citizenship education, schools need to assess the cognitive and affective dimensions for the learning to be impactful. This means looking into what students have, how they put that into action, and how they evolve individually.

At UNIS Hanoi, assessment is holistic and formative. Students show their understanding through reflection, digital portfolios, journals, exhibitions, and presentations.

These assessments measure comprehension, track personal growth, ethical reasoning, and collaboration, and serve as key indicators of global citizenship.

Raise Your Child to Become a Global Citizen with UNIS Hanoi

At UNIS Hanoi, we take global citizenship seriously because we understand its transformative power. Indeed, we prepare students to be inquirers and changemakers and act with integrity and compassion, empowering them to navigate a complex world.

If this is how you envision your child’s future, join us at UNIS Hanoi. Discover how your child can become part of this journey. Apply now and become part of a community that is shaping tomorrow, today.