On 29 September 2021, an opportunity to lead with new knowledge and think beyond borders was launched by Stellenbosch University (SU) International, Unit for Global Education in the form of an interdisciplinary and multicultural module. The Global Leadership academic module is the first of its kind at SU and combines complex problem solving and the application of theory in practice – an attempt to provide a transformative student experience and embrace internationalisation at home as part of Stellenbosch University's Vision 2040. The enormous scale, complexity and urgency of the challenges facing the world today call for more responsive and responsible leadership in business, government and civil society. Effective leadership in the 21st century involves operating in a new context characterised by changing demographics and expectations, the influx of new technologies, and the rapid pace of change. These rapid changes require leaders who can combine traditional leadership expectations with new competencies to help their environments flourish – an outcome planned to be achieved through this module.
Internationalisation at SU has been defined as “an institutional commitment to intentionally and comprehensively integrate an international, intercultural and global dimension into the purpose, functions and programmes for all SU students and staff to advance the quality and impact of learning and teaching, research and innovation, in meaningful service of society". Internationalisation at home in the SU student dimension considers the flow of students and includes reference to the international students at the institution (degree and non-degree, all levels of study and all subject fields) and the mobility of students to include an international study experience in programmes. The student dimension also contributes to the on-campus student experience the institution aims to create for domestic and international students and is linked to the graduate attributes championed by the institution.
An internationalised home curriculum is not an aim, but rather serves as an instrument to enhance skills – and equip graduates for the workplace whilst bringing the benefits of internationalisation to all students beyond only the mobile few (as physical student mobility is still limited to a small minority of students globally). The SU Global Leadership module is considered a way to prepare students not only for their role as responsible professionals but also as global citizens and agents of change. Themes covered in this module include global competencies such as intercultural competence and emotional intelligence; innovation and entrepreneurship focused on business model experimentation, global ethics and responsibility applied in the global corporate arena; organisational change, risk management, the rise and fall of social movements and the future of Africa. The Global Leadership curriculum illustrates how an internationalised home curriculum can contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals and springing back from the impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The first student cohort for the pilot phase consisted of master's students from SKEMA Business School, local BCom International Business students, as well as students from other disciplines across SU faculties. Session hosts are considered experts in their fields and include representatives from the Institute for Futures Research at SU, UNC Charlotte, Marubeni Trading Corporation and SU staff from Political Science, Economic and Management Sciences and Theology. Practical facilitated sessions introduced the cohort to design thinking as an approach to and tool utilised for complex problem solving. For the practical component of this module, SU International has partnered with PayGas to act as industry partner, through the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in South Africa. Today, nearly half of the world's population – approximately 3.8 billion people – do not have access to modern fuel. PayGas has worked endlessly to ensure a solution is within reach for anyone, at any time, anywhere. Students have approached this task as consultants for PayGas, bringing solutions for increasing their footprint and for new means of delivering value to more customers to the opportunities identified. This consultancy project serves as the practical component of gaining skills through experiential learning in aspects such as scalability and commercial deployment, amongst various focus areas within the business model of PayGas.
The SU International Unit for Global Education uses co-curricular and curricular interventions to develop and implement internationalisation-at-home and global learning initiatives. The aim is to help develop SU's graduate attributes in our students and enhance their employability, whilst supporting the teaching and learning environments as required. In the words of Prof Hester Klopper, Vice-Rector: Strategy, Corporate and Global Affairs, “this serves as an excellent opportunity in the form of knowledge diplomacy in addressing global issues".
To find out more about SU International activities, visit our website: www.sun.ac.za/international.
