Think Global, Act Local: A Global Classroom Project

My relationship with ecology and "green” concepts has its roots in high school. At that time I got the clear understanding that some problems in ecology can be solved neither easily nor quickly. However, remembering that old wisdom, “If you wish to change the world around you, begin from yourself”, I’ve also realized it’s within my power to make positive changes right now. In other words: "think global, act local."

How can students think global, act local?

Under the ‘think global, act local’ concept, there are lots of small actions students can easily take. For me, examples have included gathering litter with classmates on the banks of the river in my town, and organizing a series of seminars about the dangers of water or energy misuse and pollution. These are simple but important actions which can have the power to contribute to gradual social and ecological transformation.

On starting my studies at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU), I met with many environmental initiatives. We were planting trees, organizing committees responsible for implementing “green” strategies and ideas.

But still, I felt that I needed something more – maybe something more serious to widen my view, open new angles, and to see how countries are really tackling global environmental issues. And I found what I was looking for: KazNU’s MDP Global Classroom project.

Entering the ‘Global Classroom’…

Entering the Global Classroom’s Program for Development in Practice in the fall of 2012, I didn`t realize how much work was ahead, and how much experience and knowledge we would gain. This also included an understanding of what online collaborative study can achieve.

In the fall of 2012 we, seven students at KazNU, teamed up with students from Columbia University in New York, and worked on a joint project-based study on a very complex and challenging issue – assessing sustainable development goals in Kazakhstan.

Our Global Classroom team at KazNU brought together graduate students from different departments: law, international journalism, international relations, philosophy, political science and physics. Our Global Classroom peers from Columbia University were similarly from various fields. Overall in our global team we had students from seven countries: Kazakhstan, US, Afghanistan, China, Colombia, Mongolia and Zimbabwe. 

Turning data into Sustainable Development Goals

We tried to be as objective as possible, researching statistics and official documents, reports from international organizations and from our country`s research centers. The aim was to provide independent, trustworthy, realistic and up-to-date information organized in problem and objective trees and finally bottom-lined with proposed SDGs (sustainable development goals).

As a result of a semester’s work and our global cooperation, we produced a full independent study on the most important issues our country faces today – sustainable development priorities and goals to achieve after 2015.

Then in January 2013, during a visit to Columbia University, we had two presentations of our report – one at the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) headquarters and the other at the permanent mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations in New York City.

Now I feel that eventually I’ve joined theory and practice together. I’ve gained an even clearer comprehension of the ‘think global, act local’ saying, and how much this can achieve.

Aliya Sagandykova is currently in the second year of the MA in International Journalism at Al Farabi Kazakh National University.