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Over 30 educational organisations advocate for a renewed focus on global learning in the curriculum
23 July 2024
Led by Professor Douglas Bourn, Director of the Development Education Research Centre (DERC), a coalition of organisations called on the government to cement a national strategy on global learning at a launch event last week.
Organisations forming the coalition include Oxfam, Christian Aid, and Friends of the Earth. Together with DERC, they developed ‘The Case for Global Learning’, a paper that promotes the integration of global learning approaches into the education system.
The initiative, in which DERC played a leading role, was first proposed by Professor Bourn.
The paper includes recommendations of what support is required to help educators prepare learners with the skills they need to develop as global citizens, including the development of a new framework to embed global learning in the classroom.
It calls for policymakers to take meaningful action to support the use of global learning approaches in schools and universities to strengthen the UK’s status as a leader in pioneering this transformational practice.
The launch event brought together educators, students, researchers and policymakers to explore the paper’s recommendations, amplify the call for government action, and explore the potential for emerging policy directions.
Global learning is a growing area of educational practice that enables pupils to reflect critically on the world they live in. It includes topics like respect for human rights and inclusion, environmental sustainability and social and climate justice.
It is an approach DERC has remained committed to advancing to meet the interconnected global crises of climate emergency, conflict, inequality and extreme poverty and equip the next generation with the knowledge to address these challenges
Future work aims to sustain an ongoing dialogue with MPs on the issue.
Professor Bourn says, “With the increased interest and demand from many young people for learning about global and sustainability issues, there is an urgent need for a new approach that embeds global learning within all schools across the UK.”
Watch the recording
Links
- Read: The case for global learning in the UK
- Q&A with Professor Douglas Bourn
- Development Education Research Centre (DERC)
- Department of Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment
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Art_Photo via Adobe Stock.