Launch of Bachelor of Liberal Arts (Hons) in Global Development and Sustainability

The Bachelor of Arts in the Global Liberal Arts (BA GLA) Programme has been offered at LU since the 2019-20 academic year. With effect from the 2022-23 academic year, the name of the programme will change to Bachelor of Liberal Arts (Hons) in Global Development and Sustainability (BLA GDS) to reflect its specific focus. By highlighting “development and sustainability,” LU is showcasing one of the best features of liberal arts education: its commitment to making a positive impact on the world. This orientation is emphasised by the change in the degree title from “Bachelor of Arts” to “Bachelor of Liberal Arts,” which is a relatively recent and rare designation that is used by selected institutions to highlight the integration of different academic disciplines–arts, sciences, business, social sciences—to work towards common goals. This integration is dependent on students developing global skills and global understanding; therefore, global aspects will continue to be the overriding theme of the programme.

The diverse backgrounds of BA GLA students contribute to cultural exchange among the cohort.

Making a positive global impact was already a principal feature of the programme. The required courses of the BLA GDS will continue to emphasise how to make such an impact, from different disciplinary viewpoints. The concentrations within the major have been restructured to (a) Policy and Institutions; (b) Culture and Community; (c) Business and Economy; and (d) Human-Environment Interactions. These titles clearly communicate to the community, including employers, the specialty areas in which each student is trained to apply their global development and sustainability knowledge.

To equip students with global skills through a multi-campus and multi-country learning experience, the first cohort of students embarked on their exchange to one or more countries (Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Korea, Lithuania, Mainland China, Poland, the UK and the US) for a semester or a year during their year 3 in the 2021-22 academic year. Miss Fung Tsz Ching, a third-year GLA student, truly treasured her exchange to Hobart and William Smith Colleges in the US in Term 1, followed by the University of Aberdeen in the UK in Term 2, 2021-22. In addition to her gaining new academic experience in gender and interdisciplinary studies, her soft skills were strengthened during her exchange. In particular, she grew to become more culturally adaptable, open-minded and sociable with people from different countries.

Short-term exchange programmes are available as enrichment activities. For example, in Summer 2020-21, a group of 10 GLA students visited Beijing for the Peking University Summer School International 2021. Miss Dai Jiatong, a third-year GLA student, took two credit-bearing courses, namely Chinese Perspective on International and Global Affairs and Chinese Traditional Identity and its Transformation after 1949. To her, the benefits were more than about gaining knowledge and making notes; they involved a change in her mindset, outlook and an expansion of her insights, which opened her eyes to more possibilities for personal growth and learning. Another group of seven GLA students participated in the 4-week Global Citizenship through English Online Programme offered by the University of British Columbia, Canada. Miss Aruzhan Assankyzy, a second-year GLA student, reflected that her cultural understanding was greatly enhanced by her experience in this programme; she stated that “I was genuinely glad to exchange cultural ideas with students and teachers from various countries and diverse backgrounds. I was able to learn English and enjoy various cultural experiences by working in pairs and teams with my classmates. The guest speakers from Canada, South Korea, Bangladesh, South Africa and Egypt also acted as representatives of their cultures. Some of them even showed us their personal photos and discussed the books that had changed their lives.”

Miss Fung Tsz Ching, a third-year GLA student (second left), and international students during their exchange in the US.

 

 

 

 

 

Miss Aruzhan Assankyzy (far left on the top row), a second-year GLA student, participating in the Global Citizenship through English Online Programme offered by the University of British Columbia, Canada.