Global Leaders Experience and Sustainability

Through the Global Leaders Experience we intend to not only provide invaluable programmes set to develop transferable career and personal skills; but to do so in the most sustainable possible manner. We make a conscious effort to make these sustainable choices when considering programme location, travel type and duration. Although choosing the most sustainably conscious decision is not always possible, for example when travelling to Tunisia as the land and boat travel can exceed 3 days, we have to weigh up the impact of the programme with the necessity to travel for it. Essentially, we aim to be sustainable whilst not limiting the opportunities that come with travelling for a Global Leaders Experience.

In recent years we have already made changes by removing programmes which required long-haul flights due to their environmental impacts, and we work each year to lower our carbon-emissions. Considering this, we also strongly advocate for the need to travel for our experiences due to the sheer number of benefits and skill development they offer, for those who may otherwise not have the ability to go abroad.

As well as being as sustainable as we can about travel, we are also enthusiastic about weaving in sustainability in all levels. We work with a wide range of partner organisations who embed sustainability and SDGs (Sustainability Development Goals) within their work, and we are in a privileged position to share that with you! Check out the below SDGs that we support with our work for a little more information about each measure.

For travel booking and purchases within the team, we adhere to the University of Exeter’s Sustainable Procurement Policy.

What are SDG's?

Sustainable Development Goals have been an excellent way for organisations to identify measures to address climate change and promote sustainability, but on a personal level it can be overwhelming to understand which skills and abilities you can develop to contribute to this important work. If this resonates with you, you may find it beneficial to explore the Inner Development Goals (IDG), a not-for-profit and open-source initiative created by the IDG foundation (a collection of 8 organisations worldwide) to explore 5 key areas of personal development; Being; Thinking; Relating; Collaborating; Acting. For more information, please see here: https://innerdevelopmentgoals.org/

4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development

Open to students who meet the Widening Participation criteria and funded by the University of Exeter's Access and Participation Plan, we are dedicated to closing the attainment gap and ensuring that a wide range of students have access to the knowledge and skills required to promote sustainable development, global citizenship and intercultural communication.

13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning

We weave themes of climate change and justice throughout our programmes, gaining valuable insight from world leading organisations such as the United Nations and local governments to understand measures they are taking to reduce carbon emissions.

While we make a conscious effort to expand our online portfolio of activity, we rely on international travel for our in-person immersive visits. For more information on why these are essential, please read below.

17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships

Our Global Leaders Experiences are facilitated by exceptional international partners who deliver a wide range of skill development and knowledge sharing. We pride ourselves on forging positive relationships to provide unique opportunities for students, focusing on themes such as the migration crisis in Tunisia with Taa Marbouta; SDG awareness, diplomatic skills and international relations knowledge with UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Training and Research); heritage conservation with Immersive Trails and supporting sustainable higher education and event management with EAIE (European Association for International Education).

In 2023 the University of Exeter signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UNITAR, committing to the development of innovative approaches to education and employability schemes across the institution.

Sustainable travel and the Global Leaders Experience

One of the most beneficial factors from the Global Leaders Experience that allows for employability skills development is cultural immersion. The Global Leaders Experience was designed as an immersive experience as experiences like the study abroad, solo-travelling or internships abroad, but offered with the teams/chaperones support in a shorter time frame for those who may not have the resources to access the other ways to culturally immerse. This directly links why to the Global Leaders Experiences are run, for those who fit the Widening Participation criteria to bridge gaps between them and their peers who would be able to take on any of the opportunities above with no limitations.

In our Global Leaders Experiences, cultural immersion leads to the development of many vital employability skills which would also be developed if the participants took any of the opportunities above. Other than the skills developed from the programmes themselves (which vary in content depending on the programme) the travel element of the experience is essential in skill development. Firstly, the decision to not welcome students at the location with a travel guide who will plan their every move, use of public transport, restaurant choice is very purposeful in skill development. The independence (with support from chaperones) encourages students to think on their feet, be resilient and prioritise timekeeping. It not only develops critical thinking and problem solving but also allows for an opportunity to develop resilience by experiencing real-world complications and coming up with solutions (for example coming up with solutions when public transport is delayed and a student needs to be at a location at a given time). When in a group, this can also encourage leadership skills, where someone takes lead in the decision-making process of getting their peers from A to B. These skills alone are transferrable skills which are essential in the current job market, and this opportunity allows for very unique examples to prove to prospective employers that the individuals have those.

This is evident from our very own Alumni who have come back and said that they were able to provide unique and clear examples from the experiences to prove their skills when in an interview.

The Global Leaders Experiences also allow students to face new real-world challenges they’d otherwise not have the opportunity to. This can range from navigating a new city you’re not familiar with to communicating in a different language for the first time. These provide growth in resilience, adaptability, problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Most importantly, the travel in the programme is very beneficial for confidence development, as for many students they will be stepping outside their comfort zone and will have to let themselves be vulnerable whilst proactive.

The skills gained in the programmes also go beyond standard employability skills. The programmes cultural immersion allows for development in understanding of global dynamics, broadens perspective of world view, cultural sensitivity and also is just an eye-opening experience to what is outside of the UK. These are all essential skills in todays diverse world and transfer to personal skills such as sensitivity, knowledge, respect and communication with those form other cultures. All of these skills encourage both personal and professional growth and are related to the travel element of the trip, showcasing just how essential it is and how it may be harder to obtain those skills if the travel element was removed.

The Global Leaders Experience is an authentic learning experience students are immersed in, therefore the travel component is essential and most beneficial.

Carbon report

Carbon emission report coming soon.