How will the future look if all educators have leadership skills that enable them not only to impart knowledge but also to activate students to become leaders that believe in their own potential?

This is what AIESEC is aiming for: To cultivate global teachers with leadership skills.

What is a “Global Teacher”? 

Nowadays, educational resources are easier to access than ever before. Everyone can be an educator. We can see millions of tutorial videos on YouTube, we can also purchase different online courses to gain knowledge at any time. “Teachers” are everywhere.

The defined role of “Global Teacher” is, increasingly, serving as a cornerstone among the well-functioning education system, especially given the ever-evolving demands of the education profession, such as providing a quality education environment, connecting with the global educator’s community, supporting students in expanding their horizons, and understanding global cultures and history better.

A “Global Teacher” serves not necessarily only an educational function, it also serves a leadership role that determines the school’s climate, and ultimately, the culture in the global education systems.

Why is leadership important for educators?

According to Walter McKenzie, “Teaching today is a more complex set of roles and responsibilities than ever before. The skills and knowledge required to successfully engage students and prepare them for our quickly-changing societies define how teachers lead within the classroom and without. Traditionally teachers who have wanted to lead beyond the classroom went into administration, meaning oft-times the best and the brightest left the classroom after a few years of teaching. But today many more opportunities are emerging for teacher leadership, both formally and informally.”

If we look into the United Nations’ SDG #4, it aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030. Education, as one of the most powerful tools to change the world, can significantly contribute to societies, influencing peoples’ mindset from an early stage in various aspects and fields, thus creating a sustainable and inclusive world.

To achieve this, educators must adapt faster to our rapidly changing world, which starts from activating leadership in themselves. 

Creating “Global Teachers” for a sustainable and inclusive world.

Global Teacher is the internship program provided by AIESEC, the world’s largest youth organization, aiming to cultivate educators with leadership skills. 

Every year, we work with 300+ schools and institutions from 35+ countries and territories, more than 1000+ future educators join the program. The participants can gain teaching experience in new cross-cultural settings, get equipped with new skills, and add value to the school or institution they work in.

We believe that quality education should not only be about knowledge but also about leadership — how to be more self-aware, to be a true world citizen, to be solution-oriented in the face of adversity, and how to empower others to achieve the same goals.

To achieve SDG #4 – Quality Education, we strive for providing international opportunities for future educators to foster their professional skills and leadership mindsets. We focus on educators to set great examples for young people to learn what “inclusive” means, and we promote learning from different countries to improve global education quality and systems.

Our teaching opportunities are inclusive for everyone passionate about education, whether looking to teach for the first time or already an experienced teacher.

Develop the leadership while boosting the career prospects with an opportunity to work as a teacher abroad. For further information, kindly check the program website.