Global Readiness
The convergence of rapid technological advances and exponential growth in the capacities of developing nations suggests that the world is, indeed, increasingly smaller and more closely connected. To prepare boys to be global citizens in this new world will require development of collaborative problem-solving and learning skills, a sense of shared responsibility to uphold the human rights of all global citizens, the advancement of cross-cultural literacy skills through respecting and valuing human differences, and the ability to analyze and understand the inter-connectedness of world events and global issues both past and present. A Haverford education will teach its graduates to be strategic and intentional in their ability to recognize the opportunities that such an environment will present.
Strategies, 2010-2015
- Use technology to establish a globally conscious approach to teaching in our classrooms
- Design formal faculty recruitment strategies to attract candidates from diverse cultural and national backgrounds
- Conduct a comprehensive curricular review to assess the responsiveness of current K-12 academic program to this strategic objective
- Research options for student and faculty exchange
- Link the existing Service Learning program, speaker series, and affiliations and memberships to meet this strategic objective
Accomplishments, 2010-2015
- Began a four-year Global Competency Aptitude Assessment that charts Haverford students’ global competence individually and compared to peer schools (2013-2017)
- Implemented school-wide curriculum shifts to more thoroughly investigate world cultures
- Developed student and faculty exchanges with six countries, the most robust of which is with Denmark, to engage in cross-cultural dialogues on relevant topics such as the environment, economics, and sociology
- Increased and re-conceived School-sponsored, curricular-driven student travel. Since 2012, students have traveled to China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Italy, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, and Spain.
- Instituted a pre-travel curriculum, a deeper academic focus during travel, and exercises of reflection for the community upon return
- Accepted as member of the Student Global Leadership Institute, through which select Haverford students join peers from around the world for in-depth study of issues of global concern and subsequently return to implement community-based projects
- Engaged as a member of the Global Education Benchmarking Group, through which we monitor the standards and best practices of the leading global education programs around the country
- Broadened the rubric of The Class of 1958 Fund for International Understanding to include support of travel-study and global exchange programs, and instituted the Monique Monceaux Global Studies Endowment Fund in support of language immersion programs
The Future of the Global Readiness Pillar
Careful study of the accomplishments of the past five years has revealed a strong overlap of mission and values among the areas of Community, Leadership, Service Learning, and Global Studies. The second half of our 10-year Strategic Vision will be devoted to a broader strategic goal: character development through community engagement, encompassed under a newly envisioned "Character and Citizenship" pillar.