Beyond Borders: What It Means to Be a Global Citizen

What can you expect?

In this exchange minor, you explore what it means to be a global citizen in a world shaped by globalisation, migration, sustainability challenges, and digital transformation. You’ll gain fresh perspectives, learn across cultures and disciplines, and strengthen both your personal and professional identity in society.

Interactive and challenge-based learning

You’ll collaborate with students from around the world—in recent years, participants have come from Japan, Ghana, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain, and Italy. Classes include workshops, guest lectures, and hands-on projects that connect theory to real-world problems. Together with your team, you’ll take on a real-life global issue and design creative, workable solutions.

Study trip

You’ll co-design and take part in a study trip to Berlin (or possibly another major European city rich in history and international influence). The trip is student-driven, combining exploration, reflection, and practical learning about global citizenship in action.

Internship

In the second part of the programme, you’ll complete a seven-week internship (about two days a week) with an organisation of your choice, in the Netherlands or abroad. This gives you a chance to connect your interests and study background with social or global impact work.
Examples from previous cohorts include interships in:

• Greece: Because We Carry—supporting refugee mothers and children on Lesvos
• Ecuador: A Mano Manaba Foundation—empowering children through education and creativity
• Germany: Youth Court Cologne—youth justice and social support
• The Netherlands: local sustainability projects, food banks, refugee centres, and the Utrecht University Green Office

By the end of the programme, you will:

• Understand and reflect on what it means to be a global citizen.
• Be aware of the ethical and moral dimensions of world citizenship, by exploring the concept of (in)equality in current society.
• Analyse how globalisation, technology, media, nationalism, and religion shape society and your profession.
• Learn to connect the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to real-world action.
• Apply your insights through a field trip and an internship project.
• Reflect on your learning journey in the programme and its relevance to your your personal-professional development (past-present-future).

This minor is part of the Green Office’s Sustainable Minors initiative, which supports education for a more just and sustainable world.

Would you like to know more about this minor or do you have a specific question? Please contact programme coordinator Fatima Kajouj: fatima.kajouj@hu.nl.

In this exchange programme you work on an individual basis and in subgroups on practice-related study assignments. In Block A you will be introduced to various global issues, from a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary approach, and we connect those global issues to your professional practice through excursions and other practice-oriented events. For example, field trips to an asylum seekers centre, Fort de Bilt and an international study trip to Berlin.

In Block B you will be given the opportunity to work on your own professional questions in an (international) organisation of your own choice (f.e. schools, press, companies) by exploring this organisation’s perspective regarding the theme of world citizenship. This programme also gives you the opportunity to explore your learning questions in an professional practice abroad.

The programme takes place during one semester and contains the following courses:

Block A

At the end of modules A, B and C, a joint international study trip to Berlin is organised.

Block B

In the Course Guide you can find all relevant information about the course.

You need to have at least a propaedeutic diploma (issued after the first year of university studies).

The level of language proficiency necessary to participate in the minor is English CEFR level B1.

If you have questions regarding English proficiency, you can contact programme coordinator Fatima Kajouj: fatima.kajouj@hu.nl.

Please note: you may be asked to take a language assessment test before the start of the programme. If your English language skills are below the required level, you may not be able to enter the course, as you need to be able to actively participate in (parts of) the programme. In all cases, the programme manager makes the final decision.