U21 Programme in Global Issues

Globally relevant learning

Universitas 21 (U21) is a well-established international network of leading research-intensive universities. Established in 1997, U21 currently includes around 20 member universities from 12 countries across the world. These partner institutions are committed to advancing the internationalisation of education and offer exemplary tertiary study across a variety of disciplines.

From 2005, five universities of the U21 network -- the University of Auckland (New Zealand), the University of British Columbia (Canada), the University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong), the University of Melbourne (Australia), and the University of Nottingham (United Kingdom) -- have offered the U21 Programme in Global Issues. This is a unique programme which encourages students to develop globally relevant knowledge and skills while completing their undergraduate degree. You will study collaboratively with students from those other universities, to help you understand the different perspectives on your topics of study.

The subjects (courses or modules) that you can take are all centred around topics of crucial global importance, such as poverty, sustainability and environmentalism, international trade, security and peace, world health issues, human rights and international law. In the initial years of this programme, the number of subjects available will be somewhat limited, but these will be expanded as new courses and additional universities are added to the programme.

The flexible programme structure allows students to study either online or face-to-face (F2F) at one or more of the participating U21 institutions. Most students will take the subjects online, but, if you are going on a formal exchange programme, you can take a number of these subjects F2F.

In some universities, you will be allowed, as a student of a participating U21 university, to complete the program concurrently with your undergraduate degree, as a form of extra-curricular study. In other universities, the credit units associated with successful study of these subjects can be credited towards your degree. In either case, you will eventually be awarded a U21 Certificate for successful completion of the programme, which you can use to bolster your CV.

You must successfully complete FOUR subjects to be awarded the Certificate. You will be required to complete one compulsory online subject (offered by the University of British Columbia), and can choose from a range of elective subjects. You have to complete fifty per cent of the Programme through at least one other partner university, whether online or by studying in a normal F2F subject while you are on exchange at one of the partner universities.

The program is a formal course of study that will give you a global context to your degree. It will help you understand topics of critical importance in this globally connected world, it will allow you to develop your understanding of these topics with fellow students from other countries, cultures, religions, and ethnicity. It will give you an added advantage in seeking jobs after graduation, particularly with companies that have an international outlook. And, it will give you some experience in online education, which many predict will be the way of the future, as it has been shown to offer significant learning advantages over the more typical campus-based education. Students enrolled in the first year of this programme were overwhelmingly positive about their learning experience, and reported that they would strongly recommend it to other students.

• Learn online -- the way of the future
• Add a competitive edge to your degree
• Create pathways to exciting careers with overseas or multinational employers
• Explore relevant and engaging issues with your peers across the globe
• Study vital global issues from different political, social, cultural and professional contexts