About
APRU SDG Education for Global Citizenship: The Program at a Glance
The APRU SDG Education for Global Citizenship (APRU SDG4GC) is an intercultural, transdisciplinary, and interactive program that fosters global citizenship among students from 60 universities in 20 economies across the Pacific Rim. Co-designed by six core-partner universities in collaboration with the United Nations (UN), the program builds knowledge of global issues and global literacy among students. This is achieved through learning about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), exploring in-depth some of the world’s biggest challenges, and proposing solutions using a framework for collaborative development of social innovation prototypes.
The program places critical importance in introducing locally embedded unique case studies among the network members to help students develop a broad array of perspectives and deepen understanding of the SDGs. In the 2024 program, APRU SDG4GC will conduct a hybrid program under the umbrella theme of “Shaping the Future of Health & Wellbeing.” The program will explore the many dimensions of wellbeing including social, cultural, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, mental, physical, and economic. By drawing on multiple disciplines and practices, the program aims to build a strong sense of global citizenship toward resilient global communities.
The 2024 program is
chaired by Chulalongkorn University
with Universiti Malaya as Vice-Chair.
In partnership with the UN, it is co-designed with the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Kyushu University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Simon Fraser University.
Background
In addition to the challenges of the pandemic during recent years, the world is experiencing increasing conflicts, violence, and injustice. A sense of solidarity in the face of these challenges has brought people from all continents closer together to support each other and work toward better futures. This is creating an unprecedented momentum for global-level societal transformation. It is in this context that a core group of six APRU member universities launched the APRU SDG4GC in 2022 to open a new avenue of international engagement for students and faculty members working with multiple stakeholders in society. As key institutions of higher learning, universities have a clear responsibility to nurture inclusive culture and respect for diversity. This is even more critical today, when the world is undergoing dynamic transitions that demand the resolution of interconnected challenges. The unique network of APRU has been harnessed to cultivate new intercultural, international, and transdisciplinary learning opportunities for participating students, exposing them to a diverse range of cultures and practices. The program has also encouraged active learning initiatives by students themselves through mentorship activities.
Students will
- develop a broad array of perspectives and deepen their understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the involvement of unique case studies from APRU network members.
- develop an understanding of SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) and larger social issues faced by their own communities and comparatively, across other communities represented in the cohort.
- gain in-depth knowledge, wisdom and inspiration from actors on the ground in Malaysia or Thailand via onsite community engagement.
- develop ethical understanding and practices of community-engaged research.
- develop skills and understanding of design thinking and social innovation as a tool to design and prototype a new initiative to address a community challenge.
- develop intercultural communication, research, coordination, and presentation skills by learning and working together with a diverse group of students and mentors.
Program
The program introduces locally embedded unique case studies from the network members to
- foster global citizenship via SDG education/learning.
- provide new intercultural, international, and transdisciplinary learning opportunities for the participants.
- co-create knowledge for sustainability via multi-stakeholder engagements, including UN linkages.
- build knowledge of global issues and global literacy among students.
Resource persons
Resource persons from diverse backgrounds are at the core of APRU SDG4GC.
Meet our resource persons for
2024 program!
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suwithida Charungkaittikul
Director, General Education Center,
Chulalongkorn University
Prof. Taninee Sahakitrungruang
Assistant Dean for Graduate Affairs, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University; Advisory Group member, APRU Global Health Program
Dr. Jaime Jayapalan
Senior Lecturer, Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya
Ms. Elodie Jacquet
Political Science Department, Simon Fraser University; Principal, Banyan Consulting
Ms. Michiko Yoshida
Project Director
Director, Div. of Global Networking and Engagement, Office of International Affairs and Global Network, Chulalongkorn University
Dr. Ram Piyaket
Director, Office of International Affairs and
Global Network, Chulalongkorn University
Ms. Vignesheree King
Partnership Manager, International Relations Centre,
Universiti Malaya
Ms. Michiko Yoshida
Chair
Director, Div. of Global Networking and Engagement, Office of International Affairs and Global Network, Chulalongkorn University
Prof. Dr. Natalie Konomi
Vice President for International Affairs,
Kyushu University
Ms. Shally Fan
Director of Academic Links,
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Ms. Adriana Rojas
Senior Director, Networks and Student Programs,
APRU International Secretariat
Ms. Carol Zachs
Senior Director (interim), Global Engagement,
SFU International, Simon Fraser University
Ms. Liang Guo
Deputy Director, International Affairs Division,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Ms. Sukalin Wanakasemsan
Director, Div. of Global Academic Affairs, Office of International Affairs and Global Network,
Chulalongkorn University
Dr. Jaime Jayapalan
Senior Research Officer, Health Well-Being Cluster under Research Cluster Office, Research Management & Innovation Complex, Universiti Malaya
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kim Schumacher
Associate Professor in Sustainable Finance and ESG, Kyushu University
Dr. Terence Yuen
Research Associate, Centre for Social Innovation Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Dr. Fung Hon Ngen
Senior Lecturer at the Department of Science and Technology Studies, Faculty of Science,
University Malaya