Global Citizenship and Sustainable Futures: Learning for Change

Global Citizenship and Sustainable Futures: Learning for Change

“A great intercultural opportunity to learn about relevant issues from both teachers and fellow students from all over the world.”

Maree Sol, student of Malmo University, Sweden

This online program explores what it means to be a global citizen through learning and reflecting on a range of key global issues.  The learning objectives for students undertaking the program are:

  • To gain knowledge and an understanding of current affairs, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, global issues, and trends, whilst appreciating the complexity and ever-changing nature of these topics.
  • To be able to analyse and interpret information about own and other cultures and demonstrate a clear understanding of the complexity of elements important to members of one culture concerning its history, values, politics, communication styles, economy, or beliefs and practices.
  • To foster civic-mindedness and a sense of societal responsibility, promoting actions and activities that are motivated by or that show concern for the public good and the humanity as a whole and behaviour that is in the best interests of the environment and society.
  • Develop an understanding of and commitment to democratic principles and those of human dignity and respect, while recognising the diversity of experiences and global inequalities with regards to access to these rights and begin to suggest actions to improve this.

Program Structure

As part of the program, students will complete 3 core sessions and choose 3 option sessions.

Core Sessions

  1. A critical introduction to United Nation’s SDGs
  2. How do we engage across cultures?
  3. Reflective session

Choice of electives (students will select 3 out of 6 possible options)

  1. Borders, modern slavery and human mobility
  2. Peace and reconciliation
  3. Climate change and social inequalities
  4. Food security
  5. Gender inequality and violence against women
  6. Circular economy: production, consumption and reduction of single use plastic

The session descriptors can be viewed here

Participants will select their electives at the point of registration.  The maximum number of students for each elective is 30 students and the minimum number is 10 students for an elective to be able to run effectively.

Students are expected to complete the program within 12 months, although some flexibility may be possible in exceptional circumstances.

A global collaborative program, in design and delivery

Learning will be in collaboration with students from other INU institutions giving you the opportunity to interact with peers from across the world. The course will be fully delivered online through a mixture of live virtual sessions, and student group work/presentation.

The sessions and content will also be designed and delivered by lecturers from different INU universities across the world, providing you with the opportunity to explore different perspectives and enhance your learning experience.

 

“The Global Citizenship and Sustainable Futures program was a transformative experience that enriched my perspective through interdisciplinary dialogue and critical engagement with global challenges. I highly recommend it to anyone eager to explore sustainability and global citizenship while forging meaningful international connections.”

Roksana Inga Rybicka,, Student at European University Viadrina, Germany

Oct 2025 intake dates

October 2025 intake – Session Dates

Information briefing session

Student participants are invited to attend a program briefing session on Monday 20th October (12:30-13:30 BST)

Core sessions

Students must be able to attend the core sessions on these dates.  The times are as specified below.

Core Sessions 2025 Dates
How do we engage across cultures? Thurs 30th October 2025
A critical introduction to UN’s SDGs Thurs 6th November 2025
Reflective Session – Deepening the Learning Environment March 2026 (Date TBC)

Elective Sessions

Students are requsted to choose three electives (both the delivery session and group work session must be attended).   Electives are delivered twice a year to enable a choice of dates, however the group work session immediately following the delivery session must be attended together.

Elective Sessions   Delivery  session Group work session

Borders, modern slavery and human mobility

 

D1
D2  TBC  TBC

Peace and reconciliation

 

D1 Thurs 27th November

 

Thursday 4th December

D2  TBC  TBC

Climate change and social inequalities

 

D1 TBC TBC
D2 TBC TBC

Food security

 

D1 TBC TBC
D2 TBC TBC

Gender inequality and violence against women

 

D1 TBC TBC
D2 TBC TBC

Circular economy: production, consumption and reduction of single use plastic

 

D1 Wed 14th January 2026 Wed 21st January 2026
D2 TBC TBC

Please note that whilst we’ll do our best to keep changes to a minimum, dates are subject to change. 

March 2025 intake dates

March 2025 intake – Session Dates

Information briefing session

Student participants are invited to attend a program briefing session on Wednesday 5th March 2025.

Core sessions

Students must be able to attend the core sessions on these dates.  The times are as specified below.

Core Sessions 2025 Dates
How do we engage across cultures? Wed 12th March 2025
A critical introduction to UN’s SDGs Wed 19th March 2025
Reflective Session

24th July 2025  (NB:  This session will run at the earlier time of 11:00-13:00 BST)

Elective Sessions

Students are requsted to choose three electives (both the delivery session and group work session must be attended).   Electives are delivered twice a year to enable a choice of dates, however the group work session immediately following the delivery session must be attended together.

Elective Sessions   Delivery  session Group work session

Borders, modern slavery and human mobility

 

D1 Thurs 19th June Thurs 26th June
D2  TBC  TBC

Peace and reconciliation

 

D1 Wed 4th June 2025 Wed 11th June 2025
D2  TBC  TBC

Climate change and social inequalities

 

D1 Thurs 24th April 2025 Wed 30th April 2025
D2 TBC TBC

Food security

 

D1 Thurs 27th March 2025 Thurs 3rd April 2025
D2 TBC TBC

Gender inequality and violence against women

 

D1 Tues 6th May 2025 Tuesday 13th May 2025
D2 TBC TBC

Circular economy: production, consumption and reduction of single use plastic

 

D1 Tuesday 1st July 2025 Tuesday 8th July 2025
D2 TBC TBC

Please note that whilst we’ll do our best to keep changes to a minimum, dates are subject to change. 

 

Start dates

There are two intakes for the program each year, one in March and one in October each year.

INU member universities are spread across a broad range of time zones.  To accommodate as many time zones as possible, the sessions will run as follows:

Please note: For those in the USA, the clock will change earlier in March (on the second Sunday in March, which this years is Sunday 9th March 2025) and so during these few weeks from mid-end March, the sessions will be from 09:00-11:00 , until the clocks change in UK/Europe on the last Sunday in March (30th March 2025).

Time Zones (GMT)

(November – March)

Time Zones (BST)

(April – October)

USA 08:00-10:00 08:00-10:00
Argentina 10:00-12:00 09:00-11:00
Sweden 14:00-16:00 14:00-16:00
UK 13:00-15:00 13:00-15:00
Germany 14:00-16:00 14:00-16:00
Spain 14:00-16:00 14:00-16:00
South Africa 15:00-17:00 14:00-16:00
Japan 22:00-24:00 21:00-23:00
Indonesia 20:00-22:00 19:00-21:00
Ukraine 15:00-17:00 15:00-17:00

 

How to apply

Students who are enrolled at INU member universities are invited to apply to participate and will be selected by their home university.  Students from all disciplines and levels of study are welcome to apply.   Please contact your international office for details.

Completion of the program

INU will issue a certificate to students who have successfully completed the program.   In order to successfully complete the program, students are expected to attend and actively participate in the required sessions in order to receive the certificate of completion from INU.  Individual INU member universities may choose to recognise the program also and provide recognition for participation.  Please ask your International Office for details.

Students must have fully engaged and actively participated in the program in order to receive the certificate from INU. Attendance will be monitored.

Contact

For further information, please contact INU coordinator who will be happy to help.