Abstract

This paper presents the composition and the results of a second round of a Global Citizenship education program carried out among university college students and secondary school children in Zeeland, a province in the Netherlands. The Going Glocal program is hosted at University College Roosevelt, one of Utrecht University´s international honors colleges. The intervention consists of three parts. Firstly, during an intensive university preparatory course 15 students learn about Postcolonial Theory and new social movements in Latin America. During this stage, also the students come for the first time in contact with local schools. Secondly, during the summer break students participate in a field study in Mexico. Finally, in the follow-up course, students develop and use teaching materials to disseminate among schoolchildren their understanding of global citizenship. The program aims to translate considerations regarding ‘global citizenship’ into practice: by challenging students´ assumptions about the ´Other´, practicing assuming the ´Others’ perspectives, stimulating an awareness of interdependence of the self-´Other´ and fostering respect for differences. The results of standardized tests and self-reports of 15 students and evaluations of 175 school children demonstrated the effectiveness of the program for students and a positive reception of the program among children. Positive effects of the program in the domains of global perspective, world mindedness, and social responsibility indicate a potential suitability of this kind of program to stimulate global citizenship skills among university students.