The UCT Global Citizenship: Leading for Social Justice Programme is a co-curricula programme providing students with an opportunity to engage critically with contemporary global debates and to reflect on issues of citizenship and social justice. While voluntary and not credit-bearing at this stage, one aspect of it – a short course on Service, citizenship and social justice - can be recognized on students' academic transcript as a UCT Short Course.
The broad objectives of the programme are:
- To expose students to a broad foundational knowledge on issues relating to global citizenship and social justice that go beyond the immediate requirements of their professional degree or major discipline.
- To develop students' capacity for leadership in contemporary global-political and social justice issues through improving their active listening, critical thinking and logical argument skills.
- To promote students' awareness of themselves as future citizens of the world with a motivation to work for social justice through involvement in community service/volunteering.
The programme makes innovative and exciting use of ICTs to enhance the learning experience of students, and includes a central focus on Digital Citizenship. The online component of the course is fundamental to the programme’s success.
The programme currently has three inter-linked but separate components:
- Global Debates, Local Voices workshop series (one Saturday per term, with online learning follow up)
- Short course on Service, citizenship and social justice (second semester, 6 sessions which meets at times outside of the main timetable and an additional 10 hours of community service)
- Volunteering for community service with a recognised student-run, NGO, faith-based or community-based organisation
The programme has been supported by the Vice-Chancellor’s Strategic Fund in an effort to promote values of engaged citizenship and social justice among UCT graduates as outlined in the UCT mission.
How can I get involved? The GC programme is under development – and you can get involved in stages as it grows and emerges.
THIS YEAR: you can participate in all three components (workshops, short course and volunteering), or any combination.
FROM 2013: a credit-bearing course will be offered as a core part of the opportunities available (this course may be taken as a short course, which includes assessment, if students are not able to fit the credit-based course into their degree programme)
FROM 2014: you will be able to apply for the UCT Global Citizenship Award which would require that you show evidence of having completed all three components of the programme outlined above. The three components (workshop series, course and volunteering) may be completed over the duration of a degree.
Attend one of the introductory sessions and we will explain the details. Don’t hesitate, come and have a look and see.
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
| Global Debates, Local Voices WORKSHOP SERIES* | Global Debates, Local Voices WORKSHOP SERIES* | Global Debates, Local Voices WORKSHOP SERIES* |
| Service, Citizenship & Social Justice SHORT COURSE | Global Citizenship course* (credit bearing or taken as a short course with assessment) | Global Citizenship course* (credit or non-credit bearing with assessment) |
| Volunteering hours* | Volunteering hours* | Volunteering hours* |
| *Component 1 & 3 can be acculumated towards the Award – 2014 is first time UCT GC Award can be claimed | *All three components can be counted towards Award | *If all three components are completed, student can submit portfolio of evidence to claim UCT Global Citizenship Award |
Here is a selection of the comments from students who participated in the pilot GC courses in 2010 and 2011:
- Allows you to think & move beyond the confines of faculty – to think outside the box.
- Challenges the way you think or perceive the world around you. Thought provoking, definitely for anyone who wants to be involved in bigger issues affecting the world
- Just do it! (unless you’re scared of having your thoughts challenged)
- Try something different
- Expand your mind
- See things differently
- Talk with knowledge
- It looks good on your cv
- Learn how ignorant you are
- Space to engage and discuss issues
- Encouragement to think
Contact GC:
Please send an email with your details to ems@uct.ac.za, subject line: GC enquiry and we will notify you about the first information events which are scheduled for early March.