What is a Global Concerns?

Red Cross Nordic College students have an existing programme of twice yearly days out of the main academic programme, during which they discuss issues of Global Concern. It is proposed to explore whether it would be possible to use the March 2012 Nordic College Global Concerns day as a day in which not only NC students but also students at other institutions might consider the same issue(s), on the same day, with the same materials and speakers available to them to examine.

This will involve students from the participating institutions (in March 2012, Red Cross Nordic College and Waterford Kamhlaba College; at a second trial in September 2012, we hope to include all UWCs) working together to ensure a common approach, principles of discussion, and to ensure some uniformity over the structure of the day; to agree to pose the same questions, and to coordinate the ways in which issues are presented and considered.

At the end of the day (in each time zone), participating students will be able to vote on the questions posed, and will also be invited to comment on the issue, and on the process, as a part of the reflective learning process for both participants and facilitators. The vote(s) will only be open to people who have spent time considering the issue(s), and it is therefore anticipated that the results of the vote(s) will carry more weight than any random on line poll.

Talk Together will support the institutions as required, helping to coordinate such issues as on line connections between students in the preparatory (and follow up?) stages, a set of materials which students from around the world could use (papers to study, exercises to do, videos to watch, websites to explore, debates to structure, discussions to facilitate, etc.). As a minimum, it is anticipated that Talk Together (as an external, neutral body) will serve as a useful focus for the students in their preparations (requiring them to think and to express their plans, concerns and challenges clearly at all stages) if the students are asked to report regularly to Talk Together on their progress and planning.

This article is taken from talktogether.info