International Education Week is celebrated every year in more than 100 countries around the world that agree on the need to promote the commitment of all institutions to the values of freedom, equality, and fraternity, regardless of borders.
International education was born with the aim of creating a better world through education. Its purpose is to educate caring, informed, and knowledgeable young people who are capable of contributing to creating a better and more peaceful world within the framework of mutual understanding and intercultural respect.
But do you know what we mean when we talk about international education?
International education refers to a dynamic concept that involves the movement of people, minds, or ideas across political and cultural boundaries.
It is facilitated by the phenomenon of globalization, which increasingly erases the limitations of geography in economic, social, and cultural arrangements.
The concept implies a wide range of learning that encompasses, for example, formal education and informal learning; training, exchange programs, and intercultural communication.
It could also imply a reorientation of the academic perspective, such as the pursuit of a “global mindset” as a goal for a school or its academic approach, in order to be considered international.
10 benefits of international education
- Develop graduates with international and intercultural skills
- Build friendships, goodwill, and understanding around the world
- Create additional research and learning opportunities
- Create well-paying jobs for skilled workers
- Develop a worldwide network of scholars and graduates
- Create eore innovation and quality improvement in education and research
- Stimulate linguistic diversity and multiculturalism
- Develop an informal and diverse network of ambassadors around the world
- Positively impact on the global economy
- Enrich classrooms with global perspectives
Ways to raise students’ awareness of International Education Week
Raising student awareness of the importance of education around the world can be achieved through:
- Meetings and discussions
- Artistic and cultural activities (film screenings, visits to exhibitions, theatrical performances, etc.)
- Educational workshops
- Forums
- Production of content for all types of media (print, audiovisual, online, etc.)
- Sporting events (meetings, tournaments, championships, etc.)
The power and speed of global change is transforming societies around the world. Many aspects of economic, environmental, social, demographic, technological, and health issues have international implications and benefits.
These realities demand that educational institutions consider the international scope of their teaching, learning, research, and service mandates.
Education: a pillar for global development
Lifelong education is based on four pillars: learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together, and learning to be.
In light of this, today more than ever, languages are one of the fundamental keys to a complete education that offers students a competitive and international profile. Such an education allows them to face the tough labor market on equal terms.
Knowing another language makes a difference, but that is not the only component of a complete education. Nowadays, young people are also asked to be mobile and “global,” qualities that can only be acquired through international educational experiences.
In addition to all of this, there is the added value of learning a language, where the student will interact with classmates, teachers, and other staff. This is undoubtedly one of the best ways to become bilingual and to get involved in the international educational experience.
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