Cultivating global citizenship education in higher education: Learning from EFL university students’ voices

Abstract

This study outlines the perceptions and views of Jordanian students regarding global citizenship at university in terms of their knowledge of global citizenship education (GCED), curricula and instruction processes. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews with fifteen English as a foreign language (EFL) university students studying in the 2022–23 academic year. The findings reveal that students had a basic understanding of GCED, which was often confused with national citizenship. Universities delivered courses that touched on GCED-related topics without focusing on the subject and academic staff required more empowerment in designing curricula or addressing GCED, as students reported that educators often presented GCED topics directly, with limited emphasis on learner-centred approaches. The study concludes by proposing recommendations for the sustainable integration of GCED into universities, encompassing documents used throughout universities and classroom pedagogical practices. These suggestions have international implications.