Picture a world where seventh-graders from Madrid are collaborating with peers in Mumbai, Buffalo, Buenos Aires, and Astana to tackle real-world issues like water scarcity. It’s like a virtual U.N. assembly, but with 12-year-old diplomats in sneakers. This is the magic of the Global Scholars program, a virtual exchange initiative that connects students globally to foster essential skills for navigating an interconnected world.
Marjorie B. Tiven, the founder and president of Global Cities, a program of Bloomberg Philanthropies, is excited to announce an expansion of their partnership with Madrid’s public schools. This effort aims to equip young people with the skills of global competency, preparing them to address collective challenges in a borderless world. The need for global competency was highlighted by the OECD’s 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), emphasizing the importance of directly teaching these skills.
The existing Global Scholars program has already connected nearly 127,000 students aged 10 to 13 across 119 cities in 39 nations. These students collaborate in e-classrooms, exploring issues like climate change and clean water access. Madrid’s diverse student population and strong local leadership make it an ideal city to further expand this educational experiment. With over 1,700 Madrid students already participating in the Global Scholars program annually, the city’s public schools represent a microcosm of the world, reflecting various backgrounds and cultures.
A notable aspect of the Madrid partnership is its acknowledgment of the diversity within a single European metropolis. This recognition underscores the idea that a community can encompass a multitude of perspectives and experiences. Madrid’s educational leadership plans to launch “Global Scholars Madrid,” expanding the program’s reach by training more teachers and facilitating additional classroom exchanges within the school district.
David Cervera Olivares, the Madrid education official driving this initiative, recognizes the transformative impact of connecting students across borders. He emphasizes the importance of fostering cultural understanding, diversity appreciation, and global knowledge through these exchanges, in addition to enhancing academic skills. Madrid’s commitment to leveraging its diversity as a strength aligns with the broader vision of Global Cities to link students worldwide for mutual learning and growth.
As Marjorie B. Tiven reflects on the essence of global competency, she celebrates Madrid’s young scholars and the dedicated teachers guiding them. Beyond preparing for a globally competent future, these students are actively shaping it. The partnership between Global Cities and Madrid exemplifies a shared commitment to nurturing the next generation of global citizens, fostering collaboration, understanding, and innovation across borders.
In conclusion, the Global Scholars program stands as a testament to the power of education in transcending geographical boundaries and fostering a sense of global citizenship. Through initiatives like these, students are not only learning about the world but actively engaging with it, forging connections that transcend cultural and national differences. As we look towards the future, collaborations like the one between Global Cities and Madrid serve as beacons of hope for a more interconnected and empathetic world.