A month ago, when I first saw the Korean skyline from the plane that had begun its descent, my stomach formed knots and flip-flopped from excitement and nervousness about coming to Korea. This opportunity marks a lot of firsts for me: my first time working abroad, my first time in Asia, my first time traveling alone, and most importantly, my first time working with an international organization and contributing directly to the initiatives, frameworks, and policies that represent the change in education I am passionate about enacting.
I was on the mentioned flight and am currently in Seoul to collaborate with the Asia Pacific Center of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU). Established in 2000 through an agreement between UNESCO and the Government of the Republic of Korea, APCEIU is committed to promoting education for international understanding and global citizenship, with the aim of cultivating a culture of peace. The center's initiatives encompass five core programs, which include research and policy development, capacity-building, creation of teaching and learning materials, international teacher exchange, and facilitation of information sharing and networking.
During the first three weeks, I dedicated my time to getting acquainted with the work of APCEIU and the focus areas of the Institute of Global Citizenship Education (IGCED), the team I am a part of. In my first week, most of the IGCED team was in Thailand, so I began my journey at APCEIU by working with the External Relations and Information (ERI) department. ERI is responsible for showcasing the excellent work of APCEIU, including hosting local and international visitors, supporting initiatives to promote education for international understanding (EIU) and GCED, such as organizing a model UNESCO or an annual international trip for middle school students and managing APCEIU's long-standing publications like SangSaeng. Working with ERI was an excellent introduction to APCEIU.
From there, I started working with my department, the Institute of Global Citizenship. IGCED focuses on global citizenship initiatives and has several flagship projects. These projects are aligned with the overarching objective of advancing Sustainable Development Goal 4.7, which seeks to ensure that all individuals acquire the essential knowledge and skills to advocate for sustainable development through education. This education encompasses sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and an appreciation of cultural diversity and its contribution to sustainable development.
One of the projects I’ve been supporting them with is GCED Curriculum Development and Integration (GCED CDI). The primary ambition of this program is to aid partner countries in integrating GCED into their educational systems by incorporating it into their curriculum development and implementation efforts. This initiative spans a three-year timeline and is meticulously tailored to the specific needs and priorities of each partner country, placing substantial emphasis on collaboration with the country's ministries of education and other pertinent stakeholders. The ultimate aspiration of IGCED is for the partner countries to achieve self-reliance in addressing the requirements for GCED reform and revision endeavors.
In addition to supporting IGCED in its ongoing initiatives, APCEIU has shown keen interest in the lessons I will draw from my summer collaboration with them, which has since evolved into a personal project. While the exact details are still being ironed out, my primary focus will be on exploring how GCED takes shape at a regional level, particularly through a comparative analysis of South Korea and the US. This has also translated into valuable opportunities to participate in various events organized by APCEIU. I recently had the privilege to attend the 23rd Asia-Pacific Training Workshop (APTW) on EIU/GCED: Expanding the Vision of Peace through GCED, where participants were able to engage with both theoretical insights and practical applications of GCED. Additionally, I was also present at an event hosted by Seoul National University on GCED and Global Public Health.
My experience at APCEIU has been incredibly successful in just three weeks. I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to work with such amazing people in this space. I can't wait to keep working with APCEIU for the rest of the summer—it's going to be awesome!
Micha Aime is a Master’s Candidate in International Education at the George Washington University. Her passion and expertise lie in supporting the educational experiences of marginalized students.