The challenges of integrating “leadership identity development” and “global citizenship”, adjunct to off-shore service-based projects in higher education

Abstract

Leadership development is a process of experiential learning in a diverse context and experiences, while global citizenship is the state of improving the world through business’s engagement & partnership, addressing global societal challenges. This study employs content analysis in exploring the attributes of students’ learning with respect to leadership identity development and global citizenship by retrieving their submitted reflective journals from 2014-2018. Findings show positive learning experiences in leadership identity development together with knowledge gained, attitude and behaviour changes as global citizens. The off-shore service-based projects has created a valuable & extraordinary experience for the participating 14 student leaders learning and transforming with “leadership identity development” and “global citizen” in higher education. Challenges ahead are the off-shore service-based health related project exposed the student leaders to a context of a global service-related environment not necessarily brought along the expected learning and transformation as global citizens. There are room and space to be improved implying a more structured / semi-structured programme in governing the learning experiences.