Certificate "Global Learning"

Team Global Learning

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The English language certificate programme Global Learning (15 ECTS) offers students an opportunity to focus on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) during their studies. It allows them to develop an individual (study) profile that is also beneficial to their future career. The Global Learning certificate is a voluntary additional qualification attesting a study focus on ESD as well as the professional (and pedagogical) suitability to work on tasks/in areas related to ESD.

ESD plays a central role in shaping a sustainable society. As a holistic, transformative, and inter-/transdisciplinary approach to education, ESD not only aims to impart knowledge and promote awareness of sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, but also to enable learners of all ages to actively participate in the socio-ecological transformation of our society.
In Lower Saxony, ESD has been firmly anchored in (non-)school education since the 2021 ESD state decree came into force. The decree aims to encourage schools to develop an understanding of ESD and to integrate it systematically into their school culture and teaching. This includes considering and including ESD as a core element in school development processes, among other things. Therefore, future teachers and educators working in educational institutions should be familiar with the concept of ESD, for instance to enable them to design lessons and create learning environments according to ESD principles.
The interdisciplinary, English language certification programme Global Learning allows students to focus on ESD as part of an optional additional qualification. You will be introduced to the basics of ESD and explore various subject perspectives on different ESD topics in advanced courses. You will also apply your knowledge and skills by developing and implementing a practical project to experience ESD in practice.

The certificate programme will be offered by the department of English and American Studies with other departments of the Faculty of Humanities and Education also being involved. Students who are enrolled in the 2-Fächer-Bachelor (mit/ohne Lehramtsoption), 1-Fach-Bachelor Erziehungswissenschaft, Lehramts-Master or the Master KTW can enrol in the programme as part of/in addition to their regular studies. International students studying the module cluster Global Learning can obtain the certificate as well.

Note: The certificate programme is currently under development and will start in winter term 2025/2026. More information and documents will be added to this website as they become available. Please contact Team Global Learning via global-learning(at)tu-braunschweig.de if you have any questions about the programme.

The Global Learning certificate programme addresses students enrolled in the 2-Fächer-Bachelor (mit/ohne Lehramtsoption), 1-Fach-Bachelor Erziehungswissenschaft, Master of Education or the Master KTW as well as international students, who are interested in Education for Sustainable Development and would like to explore the topic and deepen their respective knowledge.

As all Global Learning courses will be taught in English, adequate language skills are recommended.

Note: To support students, lecturers will provide materials not only in English, but also in German when possible. However, this does not apply in general and can therefore not be expected for every course. (Non-)Graded coursework may be submitted in German if students prefer.

You can register for the Global Learning certificate programme at any time.

If you meet the registration requirements (see Target group, Requirements), please fill in and sign the registration form and send it to: global-learning(at)tu-braunschweig.de. If you prefer, you can also hand in your registration form in person to the Global Learning team. The registration form can be downloaded at the top of this page (see Downloads). The Global Learning team will then inform you about your admission to the programme via e-mail. You will also be added to the Global Learning group on Stud.IP.

Note: The introductory course is currently only offered during the winter term. Consequently, the foundational area can only be completed in the winter term.

The certificate programme is divided into three areas: Foundations, Specialisation and in Practice. A total of 15 credit points must be obtained by completing four courses and one practical project. Of these, 6 CP can be credited toward the standard course of study in the Profilbereich P3: Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung. Depending on your subjects, other advanced courses may also be credited toward your regular studies. For more information, please refer to the course portfolio (see Downloads), which lists all courses open for the certificate programme.

A. Education for Sustainable Development: Foundations (Foundations, 6 CP)

Introductory Course: Ankerveranstaltung P3: Introduction to Education for Sustainable Development (3 CP)
1 Advanced Course* (3 CP)

B. Perspectives within Education for Sustainable Development (Specialisation, 6 CP)

2 Advanced Courses* (3 CP each)

C. Education for Sustainable Development in Practice (in Practice, 3 ECTS)

Practical project (research or action project):
Planning, implementing and evaluating an individual project (including supervision meetings) as well as writing a two-page project outline and creating a visual product (total workload: 90 hours)

*Note: You must choose advanced courses from at least two different disciplines.

The courses offered for Global Learning each semester are listed in the guidelines and course portfolio (see Downloads). They are also marked as such in TU’s course catalogue.

The courses are offered either weekly or as block courses. The compulsory introductory course „Ankerveranstaltung P3: Introduction to Education for Sustainable Development“ is offered as an in-person course each winter term. Generally, three advanced courses are offered each semester. The practical project is an exception as it is largely self-directed learning. It is not part of a course; the individual projects are supervised by the Global Learning team. Therefore, there is no regular course for the practical area. Instead, please register in the Stud.IP group of the certificate under “participants” in one of the groups (“Practical project (A): Research project” / “Practical project (B): Action project”).

You can register for all courses via Stud.IP, where you can find available courses under their corresponding course titles.

Please remember that for each course you must have the routing slip signed by the lecturer conducting the course. Once you have completed the certificate programme, this routing slip, along with the eLogbook, is then submitted to the Global Learning team so that your certificate can be issued (see Certificate Issuance).

All participants will be notified via e-mail of any necessary information and current changes.

The practical area aims to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the foundational and specialisation areas in a real-world context.

The core element of the practical area is a semester-long practical project related to ESD that you will carry out in small groups (2-3 students). There are two options for the practical project: a research project or an action project. The specific design of the projects (contents, methods, creativity) is left up to the students. The only requirement is that all projects must be related to Education for Sustainable Development and relate to local/regional and international levels.

The practical area therefore includes mandatory planning, implementing, and evaluating an individual project (including supervision meetings) as well as writing a two-page project outline and creating a final product that visualises your project results (total workload: 90 hours). During the planning and before the implementation of your project, each group must attend two supervision meetings with Team Global Learning. These meetings serve to share information about the project, clarify its goals, and discuss the methodological approach, among other things. The Global Learning Team will also advise and support you throughout the semester, if needed. At the end of the semester, all project groups come together for a joint final reflection. During the reflection, the groups present their final products (project results) and reflect on the project phase.

Active participation, which might entail submitting non-graded coursework, is required for each course. Additionally, each student must continuously work on an individual digital portfolio (eLogbook) throughout the certificate programme (see Digital Portfolio, Guidelines, How to Logbook). Furthermore, a two-page project outline as well as a visual product (see Practical Area) must be written/created and added to the eLogbook.

Please note that your active participation, attendance of supervision meetings, and submission of the project outline must be confirmed by your respective lecturers or the Global Learning team (see Courses).

Once you have successfully completed all parts of the programme and have submitted your proof of attendance/participation, you will receive an individual certificate attesting to your successful participation in the programme. The certificate details all courses taken as part of the programme as well as the project developed in the programme’s practical area.

To request your certificate, please submit the eLogbook and hand in the fully completed routing slip to the Global Learning team. You will receive an e-mail notifying you when the certificate is ready to be collected.

Certificate "Global Learning"

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