Global Competence to Foster Alumni Commitment for the SDGs

Abstract

Given the dynamic socio-political tensions around the world, the climate crisis and other global challenges, the United Nations developed the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to find solutions for such global challenges as: Ending poverty, protecting the planet, ensuring economic prosperity, social inclusion, and peace to all people. One of higher education´s main challenges is to demonstrate its mission´s impact locally and globally. Higher education institutions (HEI) play a crucial role in helping to achieve the SDGs by educating global citizens, developing innovative research and fostering international collaborations. The SDGs are powerful engagement tools that can help institutions address barriers on sustainability and the global challenges by engaging all stakeholders at different levels. How can HEI foster awareness, engagement and commitment in students and alumni to support the SDGs? This paper presents the results of study that examines the relationships among different components of global competency and how they relate to the SDGs. The results provide an understanding of how developing global competency during the student-alumni cycle can foster socially engaged students and alumni who can contribute solutions to the local and global challenges.