global citizen [glo·bal ci·ti·zen] : (noun) a person who conducts their daily life with a commitment to understanding others; who makes decisions with an awareness of how they affect communities locally and globally; and who advocates and holds themselves accountable for social and environmental sustainability.

The Story is More Than Numbers

CREDENTIAL The Global Citizen Diploma is a high school credential that allows students to qualitatively describe their whole learning in the context of becoming a global citizen and making a contribution to the world. It verifies and validates any experience that students have learned from and allows them to describe their academic and pastoral and extra-curricular learning as practical values and competencies.

MIRROR Earning the GCD requires a process of deliberate reflection. Students are required to re-examine their experiences, synthesize their learning and make sense of their education as they arrive at a deeper understanding of themselves.

SPOTLIGHT Students keep records of their reflection in a publically accessible, digital portfolio. At the end of their diploma, students are encouraged to curate a selection of their most profound learning experiences, a showcase of their best GCD learning. Our counselors can send the showcase link to prospective universities and employers who can see the GCD candidate’s learning and thinking, authentically, on their own terms.

STRUCTURE OF THE GLOBAL CITIZEN DIPLOMA:

AREAS OF EXPERTISE Sometimes students transcend their roles as students and participate in the world as adults with paraprofessional expertise.

COMPETENCIES In addition to core values, each student has an individual combination of competencies that shape what they contribute to the world.

CORE VALUES The GCD is built on the foundation of core values of global citizenship that reflect understanding of others, awareness of action and advocacy.

ADVANCED ACADEMICS

LEADERSHIP

PERSONAL

ACCOMPLISHMENT

MULTI-LINGUALISM

WELLNESS

PUBLIC COMMUNICATION

WILDERNESS ENGAGEMENT

WORK EXPERIENCE

ACADEMIC

SKILLS

ARTISTIC EXPRESSION

MANAGEMENT

PERSONAL GOAL

GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

ACADEMICS

INTER-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

THE GLOBAL CITIZEN DIPLOMA

Or I could tell you My GPA.

ELEMENTS OF THE GLOBAL CITIZEN DIPLOMA: ADVANCED ACADEMICS Students engage and perform at the highest academic level in one subject or across disciplines or in a specific academic skill.

LEADERSHIP Students fulfill their vision of a task through the effective leadership of people and management of resources.

MULTILINGUALISM Students are native or functionally fluent in at least two skills of reading, writing and speaking, in at least two different languages.

PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT Students achieve and are recognized at the highest or para-professional levels, on par with adults.

PUBLIC COMMUNICATION Students engage an audience and communicate effectively, ethically, and publicly on issues of personal interest or passion.

WELLNESS Students learn how to maintain their own physical, social, mental/ emotional, and spiritual health.

WILDERNESS ENAGEMENT Students assess risk, and develop a skill or understanding through interaction with nature.

WORK EXPERIENCE Students provide work of practical value in a professional setting, developing skills.

ACADEMIC SKILLS Students develop proficiency in interdisciplinary academic skills such as Research, Reflection, Transfer, Organization, Collaboration and Inquiry.

ARTISTIC EXPRESSION Students develop the habits of creative exploration and communication through sustained engagement with the arts.

MANAGEMENT Students take responsibility for managing resources such as space, money, time, towards the completion of a goal.

PERSONAL GOAL Students set an ambitious goal, and plan systematically, act, reflect and adapt in the pursuit of it.

ACADEMICS Students achieve a level of education that makes it possible to hold informed opinions. Diplomas earned prior to the completion of high school are held pending graduation.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Students make a consistent, sustained commitment to serving and developing connections with others.

GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING Students actively seek personal understanding of the interaction of power/privilege and economics, ethics, politics, religion, environment between countries/cultures.

INTER-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION Students are committed to connecting with and understanding others across linguistic and cultural barriers.

3 LEVELS OF RECOGNITION FOR GLOBAL CITIZEN DIPLOMA CANDIDATES:AREAS OF EXPERTISE

COMPETENCIES

CORE VALUES

The Global Citizen Certificate The GCC signifies a commitment to the Values of global citizenship, with at least one Competency or Area of Expertise to contribute. Students who will not graduate from a Consortium school are eligible to earn the Certificate with multiple elements attached.

The Global Citizen Diploma The GCD demonstrates learning in each of the Core Values and an individual combination of six Competencies and/or Areas of Expertise.

The Global Citizen Diploma with Distinction The GCD with Distinction demonstrates learning in all Core Values and nine other elements including three Areas of Expertise. It signifies achievement that transcends expectations for high school.

THE GLOBAL CITIZEN DIPLOMA CONSORTIUM: The Global Citizen Diploma was developed at Yokohama International School in 2011 with the first cohort of graduates in 2013. Thereafter, the diploma was adopted by like-minded international schools, forming a consortium with the aim of continuing the development of the diploma, collaborating on professional development, and engaging our students in international dialogue.

Member Schools: The American School of Bombay, Mumbai India Hong Kong Academy, Hong Kong China NIST International School, Bangkok Thailand Yokohama International School, Yokohama Japan Zurich International School, Zurich Switzerland

WEBSITE: globalcitizendiploma.org CONTACT: coordinator@globalcitizendiploma.org