Development of Global Perspectives at Bournemouth University<< Back to Global Perspectives at BU Bournemouth University began working with Development Education in Dorset (DEED), a local development education centre in 1998. The relationship was brokered by the BU chaplain, based on an informal conversation regarding the potential for raising awareness of development education and global issues within the University. Funding from a two-year DfID (Department for International Development) ‘mini-project’ enabled a link to be established between an NGO and the university. The project supported the establishment of a Global Perspectives Network (GPN) comprised of volunteers (staff and students) who had expressed an interest in global issues and international development. Participants met regularly with DEED to discuss the concepts of global perspectives, global citizenship and sustainable development, with a view to influencing University strategy. By 1999, partnership working enabled the group to formulate A Global Vision for Bournemouth University (PDF 76kb) and a plan for engaging the commitment of the wider University, through the committee structure. The paper went to Senate and resulted in a recommendation that all Schools should consider how the issues raised could be addressed. Although it was not initially an explicit driver to link GP to employability, as part of ‘selling the need’ for BU to adopt a global perspective, the ‘Global Vision’ document made reference to the link between GP and employment. The document highlighted as part of a ‘persuasive rationale’ that employability benefits would accrue to students, if their learning included a global perspective. Reactions to the document were mixed. Some Schools were enthusiastic, others less so; some staff welcomed the opportunity to debate wider issues, others were uncomfortable with the debate about ‘values’ and thought it was not the business of HE; others suggested that ‘teaching a capitalist approach and ‘macho management’, ensured students survived in the job market’. The Business School decided that ‘educating the global citizen’ should be part of its approach. The rationale in the Business School was to argue that sustainable development provided an opportunity to develop a holistic and more critical awareness for students, addressing the concern that writers such as Barnett (1997) have highlighted, in terms of the need for HE to develop ‘critical beings’ and graduates who can deal with ‘super-complexity’ (Barnett, 2000). A more pragmatic rhetoric was also adopted emphasising the employability link. It was argued that since major corporations and the companies that employ our graduates were taking the agenda more seriously from an employability perspective, it was vital that our graduates could demonstrate their awareness and capability with regard to sustainable development. The growing internationalisation of trade and recognition by multi-national business of the need for cross cultural sensitivity and competence provided weight to developing the global perspectives agenda. The GPN continued to see opportunities to move the agenda forward. Staff development activities and workshops were organised to address issues such as ‘Supporting UK and Overseas students in a multi-cultural University’ and ‘Global Perspectives in the Curriculum’. Progress was disappointingly slow because ‘volunteers’ were dispersed across the University and the only resource was their time. A handful of volunteers and the DEED partner continued, with the Business School leading in a further bid to the DEA (Development Education Association). The bid was successful and BU became one of four universities selected to take part in the ‘Global Perspectives in Higher Education Project’ (see Shiel & Bunney 2003a), launched in 2000. A condition of the bid was to demonstrate that BU was committed to working with a local development education centre and the principles of development education. The University became a member of the DEA and this proved an important external lever for change, as it required the University to provide a comprehensive articulation of its commitment to sustainable development. This provided an important focus on sustainability with regard to such things as procurement, energy use etc. It also triggered a presentation to UEG, making a strong case to further the agenda. UEG were supportive and it was agreed that the PVC Academic would chair the group and the network would be more formally recognised, by reporting to the Learning and Teaching Development Committee. In 2001, all Heads of Learning and Teaching were asked to report on how their school had addressed GP and undertake an audit of curricula. It became a requirement of curriculum design that, at validation, teams should be asked how they addressed GP. Through meetings, presentations and lobbying the original GPN succeeded in influencing the developing strategy of the University (2002-06), to the extent that ‘facilitating global awareness’ became part of strategy documents. More recently, Global Perspectives has become firmly embedded in the Learning and Teaching Strategy. The group has also aligned itself more closely with the University’s Dignity, Diversity and Equality group, which has developed the University’s policy in this area. Developing a ‘global perspective’ has become part of Diversity Day since 2004. In parallel to internal developments, BU has contributed to leading a national agenda through its continuing work with the DEA and to the first national conference, Graduates as Global Citizens: Quality education in the 21 st century. The conference targeted Vice-Chancellors, senior staff and policy makers. BU hosted the follow on conference to explore further, Education for Sustainable development: Graduates as Global Citizens. This attracted over 80 participants from over 30 different institutions, including the HE Academy and HEFCE. The Director of he DEA, a policy advisor from HEFCE and other participants identified BU a ‘leader’ in its approach to implementing global perspectives. |
