U21 Global Citizens Program

Interested in developing your global leadership skills from home this semester? The Office of International Affairs will nominate 75 students to participate in the Universitas 21 Global Citizens program this fall. Submit the nomination interest form no later than Thursday, September 24, 2021, to request your UMD nomination. There is no cost for UMD students to participate in this program.

The U21 Global Citizens Program is a three-week experiential online course designed to help you develop the leadership skills needed to advance your understanding of the most pressing global challenges of our time. Connecting and collaborating with a cohort of students from across U21’s international network, you will design projects that prepare you to be: 

• Equipped to take rapid action on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
• Able to step outward and collaborate with diverse networks;
• Ready to challenge preconceptions and better inform other people’s perspectives;
• Better equipped to operate across hierarchies; and
• Better prepared to live and maintain your values and integrity.

Those who complete the three-week program and the final assessment will be awarded a Global Citizens mico-credential and LinkedIn badge from U21 and Common Purpose. These credentials, which can be used on your professional resume, will demonstrate that you have the skills necessary to tackle complex global issues as an internationally educated leader.

Course Overview

Built on Common Purpose's Open Source Leadership model, students will network with peers, exchange strategies, and hear from inspiring current and future leaders across the world. Students will participate in experiential activities and exercises, complete offline tasks and reflections, and work on their own individual plans to advance their understanding of global challenges as articulated by the SDGs. The course includes:

• Three weeks of online learning and engagement with students across the globe.
• Approximately three hours of asynchronous learning each week that students can undertake at a time that suits them via the U21 Global Citizens online portal.
• An additional live reflective session each week via video conference. Facilitated by Common Purpose, these sessions will consolidate learning and serve as an opportunity to interact with other participants in real time. These sessions will be offered twice weekly to offer viable options in every time zone represented.
• Students undertake a number of modules each week on key topics related to the SDGs and open source leadership.

For more information, review the course guide.

Online Program Dates: October 4 - 22, 2021

Cost: $0 (U21 will cover program costs for UMD participants)

Spaces available: UMD will nominate 75 students to participate in this limited opportunity

Secure your spot: Submit the nomination interest form no later than Thursday, September 23, 2021, to request your UMD nomination. Space is limited and the first 75 students who submit the form will be guaranteed a spot. Students who submit a nomination after the first 75 spots are full will automatically be added to a waitlist.

Read more about one UMD student’s experience on the program last fall: U21 Global Citizenship Program Fosters Student Connection Around the World

Questions? Please contact Kelsey Prima at kprima@umd.edu.