Quality improvements in curricula for Global Studies

Autor: Lena Bader, Elisabeth Deutsch, Julia Edlinger, Christoph Schuster, Gilbert Ahamer, Marlene Köttstorfer, Emanuel Kaspar, Silvia Füreder, Claudia Mautner, Stefan Samonig, Christine Rossegger, Gerhard Witz, Victoria Zotter, Alina Samonig, Tabea Bereuther
Rok vydání: 2013
Předmět:
Zdroj: Multicultural Education & Technology Journal. 7:113-126
ISSN: 1750-497X
DOI: 10.1108/17504971311328035
Popis: PurposeBased on an in‐depth comparison of 20 multicultural university curricula, this article aims to provide practical and implementable suggestions about how to improve such curricula in order to ensure highest and globally compatible academic quality. The recently founded developmental Master's curriculum “Global Studies” (GS) at the University of Graz, Austria serves as a case study.Design/methodology/approachThrough an academic web‐based process of authoring and reviewing, over a dozen students and practitioners in Global Studies have compiled this analysis. Such an approach shows that education technologies significantly enhance peer‐oriented scientific culture. Further networking among universities from every continent, and their students, is also facilitated.FindingsAnalyses conducted by over 50 contributors during 2010‐2013 show first that the Graz‐based curriculum has achieved international quality standards by spanning multiple faculties, disciplines, professional roles, and perspectives regarding globalisation. Secondly, suggestions for improvements pertaining to nine aggregated issues are provided: partner universities, semester abroad, interdisciplinarity, didactics & lectures, practicals, languages, electives, admission of students, and exams.Practical implicationsThe present specific recommendations serve as valuable evidence‐based and authentic input for quality assessment procedures at Graz University, and similarly for other academic curricula elsewhere.Social implicationsPeer‐oriented higher education profits greatly from student input that has undergone an academic peer review procedure. Such quality assurance is favourably implemented via collaborative education technologies such as web platforms with discussion fora.Originality/valueStudents as the core target group in higher education institutions express their own opinion and are valued as experts and stakeholders in a genuinely democratic procedure.
Databáze: OpenAIRE