Quality improvements in curricula for Global Studies

Abstract

Purpose-Based on an in-depth comparison of 20 multicultural university curricula, this article aims to provide practical and implementable suggestions about how to improve such curricula in order to ensure highest and globally compatible academic quality. The recently founded developmental Master's curriculum "Global Studies" (GS) at the University of Graz, Austria serves as a case study. Design/methodology/approach-Through an academic web-based process of authoring and reviewing, over a dozen students and practitioners in Global Studies have compiled this analysis. Such an approach shows that education technologies significantly enhance peer-oriented scientific culture. Further networking among universities from every continent, and their students, is also facilitated. Findings-Analyses conducted by over 50 contributors during 2010-2013 show first that the Graz-based curriculum has achieved international quality standards by spanning multiple faculties, disciplines, professional roles, and perspectives regarding globalisation. Secondly, suggestions for improvements pertaining to nine aggregated issues are provided: partner universities, semester abroad, interdisciplinarity, didactics & lectures, practicals, languages, electives, admission of students, and exams. Practical implications-The present specific recommendations serve as valuable evidence-based and authentic input for quality assessment procedures at Graz University, and similarly for other academic curricula elsewhere. Social implications-Peer-oriented higher education profits greatly from student input that has undergone an academic peer review procedure. Such quality assurance is favourably implemented via collaborative education technologies such as web platforms with discussion fora. Originality/value-Students as the core target group in higher education institutions express their own opinion and are valued as experts and stakeholders in a genuinely democratic procedure.

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“…Applying the GCDB method for forecasting presumes a number of implications for science and society. Further strengthening of understanding and corroborating the various, often contradictory developmental theories will contribute to multicultural understanding among economic ideologies, including related university curricula such as "Global Studies" [Bader et al, 2013[Bader et al, , 2014. It will provide further background information for studies that are designing, assessing and monitoring national and global climate protection measures.…”

International Cooperation on Climate Protection is Promoted by IFIs

“…Besides IFIs' mechanisms, the European Union (EU) provides financial tools such as "blended financing" and additionally emphasises regional cooperation (meaning that projects should encourage neighbouring countries to cooperate in a substantial and meaningful way), and supports IFI's recent emphasis on regional cooperation. This adds a dialogic dimension to IFIs [17][18][19][20][21].…”

“…The example of IFCA Even if applied in the entire "Global South" (Fig. 7), let us illustrate this blending instrument when viewing the region of Central Asia 3 : pooling resources through the IFCA (Investment Facility for Central Asia) helps improve the coordination and coherence of donor actions in support of partner countries as they work in true partnership towards their sustainable development goals -as e. g. promoted in "Global Studies" curricula worldwide [19][20][21][22]. It also addresses cross-cutting challenges, such as the need to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.…”

Integration policies in Europe – a web-based search for consensus

“…The web-supported simulation game "Surfing Global Change", invented and supervised by Gilbert Ahamer (2005Ahamer ( , 2006Ahamer ( , 2012a was implemented as the procedural guideline among others for the master's course in "Global Studies" (Bader et al, 2013;Duraković et al, 2012;Ahamer et al, 2011) at Salzburg University, Austria. The challenge of this game is to find a common solution, taking into account the interests of the different actors.…”