Study abroad students learn to become global change makers
23 March 2023
The Generation Changemakers programme aims to help international students gain skills and confidence around social and environmental justice activism.
The University of Auckland’s latest cohort of inbound study abroad and exchange students have embraced the opportunity to learn about innovation and entrepreneurship as tools to address climate issues.
Students were given the opportunity to participate in the University’s Generation Changemakers programme, organised by the International Office in partnership with the Business School’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE).
Study abroad students are from a wide variety of subject disciplines and, while in New Zealand, will take courses that can be credited towards their degree at home. The latest Generation Changemakers cohort has come from more than 49 different universities in Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Sweden, USA and more.
A pilot of the Generation Changemakers programme was delivered in 2022 to meet student demand to study abroad ethically. Study-abroad students are aware of the dichotomy between wanting to be a good global citizen and the environmental impact of travelling internationally.
The first iteration of the programme involved developing a personal climate action plan, assessing participants' carbon footprint using a carbon calculator, and sharing ideas for climate action on campus. This second iteration of the programme tackles similarly gnarly concepts, including being mindful of how to make an impact whilst avoiding climate activism colonialism.
When they leave us, we hope they feel empowered to become passionate activists and changemakers in their own communities and beyond.
This year’s Generation Changemakers programme is delivered by Dr Persephone de Magdalene and Judith Marecek.
Persephone is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Business School’s Aotearoa Centre for Enterprising Women with subject matter expertise in social entrepreneurship. Judith is a past recipient of a Faculty of Engineering Teaching Excellence award and is responsible for the delivery of numerous CIE programmes.
Persephone says, “We have developed the programme to help participants grow their skills and confidence around social and environmental justice activism. The programme facilitates critical awareness of privilege and power dynamics in society alongside learning practical skills in ideation and market validation.
"It’s an intense programme where participants gain valuable transferable skills in communication, critical thinking, teamwork and collaborative project planning, emotional intelligence, and socio-political awareness. When they leave us, we hope they feel empowered to become passionate activists and change makers in their own communities and beyond.”
Judith says that though the programme content is ambitious in its scope, it has also been designed to be engaging and enjoyable.
"Participants get to work with about as diverse a group of people as you can get – from different countries, with different backgrounds and subject matter expertise. Students get to work on ideation skills through LEGO Serious Play workshops, develop their presentation skills through creating a pitch video and much more.
"We hope we’ve made this programme a memorable experience that will gift participants with new skills, friends and knowledge.”