Developing Across Differences: Global Competence Frameworks

A design thinking approach for your higher education institution

Although recent data shows how many universities now include the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of their strategic plans, it is much harder to see how many incorporate global competence (GC) practically. Little research exists around how strategic plans are enacted within everyday life on campus. We seek to change this.

Why should you attend?

Designed for (higher) education professionals, this workshop moves towards a model for developing and integrating global competence — in all of its iterations — as an integral part of the learning process within universities.
Learn how to operationalize strategy to make Global Competence a reality, not just a nice sentiment on a website or brochure.

To do this, you will engage in a design-based thinking-approach. Design-based thinking comes from the field of Educational Participatory Design Research (EPDR), a human-centric, egalitarian, and emancipatory approach — the very values that underpin global competence — making it an excellent method for operationalizing GC frameworks.

Additional information

Practical information

Dates	11 July 2025
Location	Academy Building (Broerstraat 5) or Harmonie Building (Oude Kijk in Het Jatstraat 26)
Level	PhD/Postdoc/Practitioners May be appropriate for some MA students; contact the organisers for consultation about eligibility
Fees	€ 615 includes course and materials, optional evening programming
Academic coordinators	Professor Sarah-Louise Jones
Contact	ic rug.nl or info iddifferences.org

Requirements

Participant profile

This course is for you if you are — or are helping those who are —

A higher education leader / professional / change-maker charged with helping your institution incorporate global competence (or its variants).
Education consultant or advisor.
Academic or research practitioner studying the field.

Contact the organisers at ic rug.nl or info iddifferences.org if you have questions about the suitability of this course for your circumstances.

Level requirements

The DAD is for multipliers who help individuals, organizations and societies better recognize, appreciate and use differences as a way of better communicating, working and thriving together.

These are (in-house and external) trainers, educators, consultants, coaches, researchers, scholars, facilitators, HR staff, advanced-level (MA+) students, and professional development specialists with 5+ years of experience/study in the greater Differences field. Contact the organisers at ic rug.nl or info iddifferences.org for consultation about appropriateness and eligibility.

It is expected that the participants have a sufficient command of the English language to actively participate in the discussions and to present their own work in English.

Course schedule

Sunday, 6 July
15.00-18.00 Optional networking event

Friday, 11 July
09.00-17:30

Learning approach
This workshop uses a combination of research inputs, peer-sharing and hands-on design activities to help you leave with tangible action plans. You should prepare to share your own institution’s interest and/or (preliminary) work in this area.

Learning outcomes

In this course, you will learn how to help yourself — and those you work with — so that you/they can better:

Co-construct and assemble a meaningful definition of global competence for your institution / organisation.
Design a customised global competence toolkit for implementation.
Develop theoretical and practical understandings of design-based thinking which can be applied within your context for future workstreams.

Workload

6 hours of in-class learning and active participation using experiential methods.

Upon successful completion of the programme, the Summer School offers a Certificate of Attendance that mentions the workload of 6 hours (28 hours corresponds to 1 ECTS). Students can apply for recognition of these credits to the relevant authorities in their home institutions, therefore the final decision on awarding credits is at the discretion of their home institutions. We will be happy to provide any necessary information that might be requested in addition to the certificate of attendance.

Application procedure

Deadline for application	Regular registration closes on 3 May 2025. Late registration closes on 1 July 2025.
Date of selection	Within 72 hours following registration, you will be contacted directly by the organisers about your application.
Application	Participants submit payment and details about their interest at the link below (click the "Apply now!" button). They will be contacted directly by the organisers about their experience and the suitability of the course.

Apply now!

Please note that as all courses are subject to meeting minimum enrolments, the DAD team will confirm on or before 19 May 2025 that your course is taking place. We strongly advise you not to book non-refundable travel until you have received this confirmation. In all cases, refunds for courses are not available except in the case of course cancellation by the DAD organisers. In the case that your preferred course is cancelled, you are welcomed to enroll in an alternative course or request a refund. You will be notified on or before 19 May 2025 if the DAD course is cancelled. This policy is different from that of other University of Groningen Summer School and Language Centre courses. Full details are available on the Developing Across Differences (DAD) Learning Lab & Community Week Terms and Conditions page.

Last modified:

12 March 2025 11.04 a.m.