Two hundred Colombian educators will be developing their global competence through the Global Up programs thanks to a new partnership between AFS Colombia and the Institute of Educational Credit and Technical Studies Abroad (ICETEX), a government entity that promotes higher education. This collaboration expands access to international education in Colombia through Global Up, blended learning programs that develop tangible global skills essential to live, work, and make a real social impact around the world.
Both AFS Colombia and ICETEX have more than 70 years of experience in the field of education, which makes this alliance for advancing intercultural learning opportunities in the country. Teachers, coordinators, deans, principals, and international relations managers who are part of Colombian higher education institutions as well as public servants will receive scholarships to participate in Global Up programs.
Global Up is a unique program that develops essential and lifelong global “power skills”: collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, cross-cultural communication, open-mindedness and flexibility. A 2018 study by Purdue University has shown that participants in these programs “are more effective intercultural communicators, they are equipped to resolve conflict and are able to bridge differences.”
“This has been a unique opportunity to expand AFS’s mission and values among professionals in charge of internationalization offices at universities. We look forward to seeing them replicate their new global citizenship skills in their institutions, and making them better equipped to support their students,” says Erika Hosman of AFS Colombia.
For more information about this program (in Spanish), click here. Find out more about how your institution can benefit from Global Up programs here.
Read on to learn what some of the participants in Global Up programs in Colombia have shared about their experiences:
“This workshop invited me to reflect on my behaviors, prejudices, privileges, which I have. It has opened my mind and especially my heart to continue working on my empathy and learning and acquire more knowledge about different cultures and identities.”
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“The course is wonderful, it takes you through different experiences and imagination and makes you feel the experiences of each person. ”
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“Learning from a training course on interculturality and global citizenship is leading us to reflect on and adjust our thoughts. It is a course that we must all take to make our lives better together with all those around us. ”
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“Excellent training, essential for the personal and work environment, facilitators with extensive knowledge on the subject. I recommend it!”