In a recent interview with Dr Emiliano Bosio for the Global Citizenship Education Interview Series, Dr Joseph Haldane, Chairman and CEO of the International Academic Forum (IAFOR), offered personal insights into the evolving understanding of ‘global citizenship’ and the growing relevance of global citizenship education in our interconnected age.
Dr Haldane began the conversation by acknowledging the complexities inherent in defining global citizenship education, yet emphasised its guiding principles: ‘Global citizenship education is about appreciating the other, respecting the other, and looking for ways we can all develop a sustainable future’. He went on to explain how this approach directly aligns with IAFOR’s commitment to promoting meaningful dialogue across borders, cultures, and fields of study.
To demonstrate this mission in action, Dr Haldane discussed IAFOR’s key initiatives, including its international conference programmes that promote collaboration between delegates from around the world, and the IAFOR Research Centre at Osaka University, Japan, which encourages collaborative research between local and international scholars. The topic of global citizenship education especially in regards to peace education was selected as one of IAFOR’s Conference Themes for 2025-2029, an initiative to promote research and collaborations addressing global citizenship education alongside technology and artificial intelligence, humanity and human intelligence, and leadership. Several other IAFOR projects came up in the conversation between Dr Haldance and Dr Bosio, such as the Global News View project, which aims to ‘broaden the geographical scope of news coverage’; The IAFOR Global Fellowship Programme, a programme designed to ‘examine research questions around marginalised voices’; and the development of a UN Security Council database aimed at ‘making decisions and outcomes more accessible and searchable’.
Central to all of IAFOR’s projects, Dr Haldane suggested, is a belief in the power of informed, respectful discourse and providing fora and collaboration opportunities with this belief in mind. Whether through academic research, student exchange, or the active exchange of ideas during its international conferences, IAFOR’s work exemplifies how cooperation, shared inquiry, and a commitment to equality can help us better grasp and develop the responsibilities and opportunities of global citizenship.
About the Global Citizenship Education Interview Series with Emiliano Bosio
The Global Citizenship Education Interview Series, hosted by Dr Emiliano Bosio, spotlights leaders, educators, and scholars who are shaping the future of learning on a global scale. Each instalment offers thought-provoking perspectives that challenge traditional boundaries and inspire viewers to consider how education can foster mutual understanding, intercultural competence, and a sense of shared humanity.
About Emiliano Bosio
Emiliano Bosio, PhD, is an educator, author, and international speaker widely recognised for his work on values-based, critical, and ethical global citizenship for sustainability and the common good. He is the editor of several influential books, including Ethical Global Citizenship Education (Cambridge University Press), Conversations on Global Citizenship Education (Routledge), Global Citizenship Education in the Global South (Brill), Value-Creating Education (Routledge), and The Emergence of the Ethically Engaged University (Springer). As the Director of the Global Citizenship Education Interview Series on YouTube, Dr Bosio fosters dynamic dialogue among scholars in international and comparative education, the SDGs, and global citizenship. He also serves as Guest Editor for UNESCO-IBE Prospects and as an Associate at the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development at Sunway University in Malaysia. Dr Bosio’s recent publications include Fostering Service to Society, Inclusion, and Equity through Global Citizenship Education (with Hans de Wit), Critical Pedagogy and Global Citizenship Education (with Henry Giroux), and Global Citizenship Education at the Crossroads (with Carlos Alberto Torres).
Get in touch with Emiliano Bosio:
Global Citizenship Education Interview Series: https://www.youtube.com/@DrEmilianoBosio/featured
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/globalbosio/
X: @globalbosio
