Today’s students are global citizens. They’re more connected to other countries than any previous generation, thanks to technology, travel, and shared languages.
Global citizenship education gives students the tools and resources they need to thrive when connecting with those from other cultures. The challenge is integrating it into a curriculum. While your school might value global citizenship, you may feel it’s an extracurricular activity that’s competing with core academic subjects for attention.
The British Council has a long-standing commitment to international cooperation and intercultural understanding through our deep partnerships in over 100 countries worldwide. As an organisation, we understand the importance of working together to build connections, understanding, and trust internationally.
Our work with international schools has also given us a unique insight into how to implement global citizenship education successfully. In this article, we’ll show you how educators can integrate global citizenship into their curriculum so it’s embedded into everyday teaching, learning, and processes.
Global citizenship not only helps your students in their learning and social development but also has advantages for your school. Here are some of the most important benefits:
Global citizenship doesn’t require a new curriculum. It works best when it’s embedded into your current policies and practices, and opens up space for global themes within existing lessons. Here are some strategies your school can try:
Discussing what global citizenship means with your students can help them see its importance. You can use frameworks from Oxfam and UNESCO to inform classroom discussions. However, creating your own definition can give students a stronger sense of ownership over any new global citizenship initiatives you introduce.
Rather than adding new content to your curriculum, shifting your focus can show your class topics in a new light without creating extra work for your team. Let’s look at some quick examples on how to do this across core academic subjects:
Various organisations have weeks centred around UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as gender equality, climate action, and accessible education. For example, Global Goals Week is a shared venture between 170 institutions worldwide that arranges activities in September that contribute towards these goals. In 2025, they have already arranged a series of talks and meetings centred around climate change, and your school could take this opportunity to inspire your own discussions.
Giving students a voice can make global citizenship initiatives more impactful. They’re more likely to come up with meaningful ideas for their age group and drive change among their classmates.
Of course, students are likely to need guidance. You can read our article on how to ensure students are safe and supported throughout community initiatives to get some tips.
Many schools partner up to collaborate on projects and facilitate connections between students. Some common examples include:
Programmes don’t need to be limited to students. Educators from different schools can use partnerships as an opportunity to share resources and knowledge and offer one another support.
For more insights into how to encourage an enriched curriculum in your school, you can read our blog article Five ways to enrich your school's curriculum.
Beyond sharing these tips, the British Council can provide Partner Schools with valuable resources to help you begin integrating global citizenship education into your curriculum.
Global citizenship goes beyond individual lessons or special projects. When it becomes part of how subjects are taught and how the school community works, students have more chances to reflect, connect ideas, and engage with real-world issues.
Schools don’t need to do everything at once. A single lesson, activity or exchange can be a valuable starting point. What matters most is staying consistent and keeping global learning meaningful for your students and your school.
The British Council supports Partner Schools by facilitating classroom projects and extracurricular activities designed to develop global citizenship and core skills. Learn more about our Partner Schools programme here.