Global citizenship skills among Qatar University students

Abstract

The concept of the borderless environment, in the 21st century, has intensified global citizenship education and attracted tremendous attention from researchers and educators. This article explores the level of global citizenship in Qatar University students. This cross-sectional quantitative study examines Qatar University students’ perceptions of global changes. Data was collected from 10 colleges at Qatar University using a survey method based on Morais and Ogden’s global citizenship framework, and its elements of social responsibility, global competence and global civic engagement. The results of the cluster and correlation analyses reveal that all three elements of global citizenship skills (i.e., social responsibility, global competence and global civic engagement) apply to Qatar University students, to varying degrees. The demographic variables and global citizenship components (social responsibility, global competence, and global civic engagement) reveal Qatari students’ global citizenship skills, perceptions of a broader world, sense of being part of the world community, responsibility for contributing to the well-being of that community, understanding of diversity, politics and culture, and social, economic, environmental and technological functioning. The implications of the findings suggest ways policymakers, faculty, teachers and curriculum developers can develop robust global citizenship education.