U21 Programme in Global
Issues
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
U21 Programme in Global
Issues |
|||||||
|
|
The U21 Programme in Global Issues is a multi-disciplinary curriculum spanning the boundaries of traditional education, where students will work collaboratively with other students from around the world. It will provide graduates with globally relevant knowledge and skills which will enable them to live and work successfully within the societies they will help lead.
|
|
Frequently asked questions
Contact information
Who can I contact for further information?
It is best for you to contact the person responsible for running the programme at your own university. Simply click on the red links in the blue-grey box above to find out who this is.
Can I contact students who have already taken this programme for advice?
At present, there is only a discussion board for students from the University of Hong Kong. However, you can get some feedback from previous students here.
Terms used
What is the difference between "subjects", "modules" and "courses"?
None! In these webpages, to avoid confusion, we have only used the term "subject", although you may use the other two terms at your own university. A subject is a self-contained topic studied for a semester at a university. The term "programme" is used for the whole U21 Programme in Global Issues, which is made up of four subjects that you will choose.
Application information
Who is eligible to take this programme?
Each individual university has rules about who can take this programme. Because the numbers allowed to take it are severely limited at present, there may be some eligibility criteria and there may be some selection of successful students from the resulting applicants. Full details are available on your university's website for this programme (red links above).
If I am successful in applying for this programme, will this help or hinder me getting a place on exchange?
It would not be expected to have any effect on your chances of getting an exchange place, either positively or negatively.
Academic information
Can I get credit unit transfer for these courses?
Yes, if you are taking this programme as part of your curriculum. Each university at which you take a subject will provide you afterwards with a transcript if you are successful that you can present to your own univeristy for credit unit transfer purposes. In some cases, however, it may be necessary to seek permission to transfer credit BEFORE you take the subjects.
Does it matter whether I take courses online or face-to-face?
As long as you take 50% or more of your four subjects at a university other than your own, you can take subjects in either mode of delivery. However, you have to take the introductory subject online at UBC, since it is only offered in the online delivery mode. So, for example, all the following combinations of subjects are possible:
Student1: from Melbourne:
Student 2: from Nottingham:
Does online education require particular learning styles or favour some students?
Online learning for this programme will require a certain level of self-moptivation, the ability to independently plan your studies, the ability to work in teams and engage in discussion with others from around the world, and the willingness to be responsible in your learning so as to contribute effectively to your groupwork. To some extent, all these are true of F2F learning as well, but perhaps not as much as online learning. Online learning is not best suited for those students who want to be passive recipients of information, as might be the case if you go to some lectures. The way in which online education is set up for this U21 program, it forces you to engage in your learning, and take an active part in it. This may not be as easy as sitting down and taking lecture notes! But, generally, the feedback from students is that they learn more, and enjoy the learning more with online education.
I hear that online education is not as good as F2F education for helping to develop my competencies or soft skills. Because employers seem to want these skills, am I losing out by taking online subjects?
This was the view of online education a year or two ago. These attitudes are beginning to change rapidly. In fact, the latest survey from top US universities suggests that most professors now feel that online education is better than F2F education. There is emerging evidence that good online education will also help to develop your soft skills, in particular, those related to communication, teamwork, leadership, and, for this program, global competencies (the ability to work in multicultural teams, sensitivity to other cultures, languages etc.). Global competencies are regarded by many large multinationals, as well as smaller companies wishing to globalize, as very important. Even at the MBA graduate level, there is evidence from surveys to show that global competence is one of the most highly rated qualities of a good graduate. There is also a new emerging set of competencies known as e-competencies. These are not just the IT skills, such as the abiltiy to use a word processor or database, nor indeed the ability to do research online (although these are also very important, and this program will help in the development of all these). The e-competencies are those soft skills that are specific to working online, such as the ability to present, debate, communicate and persuade online, or the ability to lead a team online. These require a different set of skills from the F2F environment. For example, leadership in a F2F situation is often determined by factors that have nothing to do with ability, but more to do with physical parameters. These are often unknown in a F2F environment, and so people have to used and develop different skills to lead in an online environment. So, all in all, online education can be particularly valuable for those who will be working in the future on the internet -- in reality, all of us!
Technology information
What equipment do I need to study these subjects online?
If you can read this webpage, you are most likely to have all the technology necessary for the online subjects of this programme. In some cases, video and audio links on the webpages of subjects may require software to be installed, but this will be very common software which is easily available at no cost.
Technology information
Who can I contact for further information?
It is best for you to contact the person responsible for running the programme at your own university. Simply click on the red links in the blue box above to find out who this is.
<END>
