Register Now for an AFS Workshop: Fostering Global Competency and Creating Pathways to Study Abroad
What are the best practices and resources for fostering global competency in primary and secondary school classrooms, university campuses and other educational settings? How can these practices better promote the value of study abroad programs?
AFS Intercultural Programs and AFS USA, our member organization in the US, are proud to invite Generation Study Abroad partners, leaders in education, faculty members, teachers and students to participate in a highly interactive workshop, “Fostering Global Competency and Creating Pathways to Study Abroad”, which will precede the 2016 IIE Generation Study Abroad Summit. The workshop will take place on 23 October 2016 in Washington DC, USA.
The Generation Study Abroad initiative, led by the International Institute for Education (IIE), is an international campaign to double the number of U.S. participants in study abroad programs by the end of the decade. AFS has been a partner in this effort since the beginning in 2014. The “Fostering Global Competency” pre-conference workshop at the Summit will introduce innovative methods to promote 21st century skills and global citizenship education as a way to inspire more young people (from kindergarten until the end of high school) to check out the true benefits of studying abroad. Educators will learn ways to infuse intercultural learning into their curriculum, based on the example of the AFS-USA Top Global Learning School Initiative. This program encourages schools to take the pledge to foster global citizenship through intercultural learning — both inside and outside the classroom. From hosting international students, encouraging American students to study abroad, to incorporating intercultural learning initiatives into their curriculum, these schools inspire students to think critically about their role in promoting peace through cultural understanding.
The workshop will be led by Hazar Yildirim, Education Content & Communications Manager at AFS’s International office in New York and Sarah Lorya, the School Relations Specialist for AFS USA. It will focus on how intercultural learning experiences and study abroad can address and reduce cultural barriers. Participants will leave this session with easy-to-implement experiential learning activities, resources to develop global competency and strategies to promote study abroad in different settings.
Since 2014, more than 700 international, study abroad and social network organizations, education associations, as well as universities from 49 countries have joined Generation Study Abroad. The initiative has seen a 5% growth in study abroad already, by offering scholarships and other types of financial aid, providing advice and training to schools and universities, and offering opportunities for Generation Study Abroad partners to exchange experiences and learn from each other.
Teachers, students, alumni and representatives of organizations and universities are all welcome to get involved with Generation Study Abroad. Visit the website to sign the letter of commitment and find specific ways to promote the importance of studying in other countries.
by Hazar Yildirim, Education Content & Communications Manager, AFS Intercultural Programs
