It is a matter of fact that your educational experience helps to build the human being you will eventually become from its very beginning. Alongside that, education somehow causes you a deep reaction when reminiscing about it. No matter if it was a positive or negative experience, if you ask people about their education, quoting the educator Ken Robinson, “they pin you to the wall”.
Now, when referring to globalisation in education, Dr. Liz Jackson, from the University of Hong Kong, states that both concepts are clearly interrelated. Furthermore, the latest international organisation’s reports, such as the ones conducted by UNESCO and OECD, are framing global policies bearing in mind the future of education in a globalised society.
But, what does this mean if we take into account that we are heading into an everyday more reachable and connected society? A world in which technology, migration and international policies are directly or indirectly working on behalf of making that globalisation grow bigger and bigger. What benefits does this actually have on our own education if this is that meaningful to us?
Becoming more open-minded
Meeting new people, new backgrounds and learning about new cultures can help you become a more open-minded person. Facts. No one is ever going to argue against this. So it is just wonderful how easy it is for us these days to travel, to go studying or working abroad, even to have contacts through social media from all over the world.
Following the lead of this kind of opportunity might prove to be a huge personal growth for yourself and will definitely make you embrace diversity and new experiences.
Improving your skills and knowledges
It doesn’t matter if it’s a new language or some skills you got from a video tutorial made by a person living on the other side of the planet. Everytime you use your connections or the heritage or resources you get from other parts of the world to improve your knowledge and skills, you are proving that, once again, globalisation has something to say in your personal educational pathway.
Feeding your resumé
All the soft skills you may have learned during your life, all the mobility opportunities you may have had, all the contacts around the world you may have created are definitely worth it. And this reflects on your resumé and professional experience. So among all the opportunities that a globalised society provides us, you can always use them when applying for higher studies or even a job.
Education is personal, permanent and meaningful. This interconnection with globalisation just brings about a wider range of opportunities and challenges to achieve. It provides, as mentioned, more benefits.
It is our duty as citizens of this globalised world to contribute however we can to improve its quality and to advocate for more resources in order to keep receiving those benefits from it;
To demand better funding for mobility opportunities such as the Erasmus+ programme;
To create education policies that aim to deepen international connections and to discover one way or another the mind-blowing world we have;
To be able to keep growing up as independent and responsible individuals of the 21st century with a common goal:
To make the world a better place for all of us.
As the anthropologist Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever had”.
It looks like a good starting point, doesn’t it?
