Introducing a transformative toolkit for global citizenship education

In a world where global challenges are becoming increasingly complex, education plays a crucial role in shaping how students understand and actively respond to issues. To support this, ACER has partnered with UNESCO Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU), to develop a pioneering toolkit designed to enhance global citizenship education (GCED).  

The ACER-APCEIU GCED Monitoring Toolkit is specifically tailored to help teachers, school leaders and education system leaders build and implement effective GCED programs. The comprehensive toolkit aims to ensure that GCED programs are adaptable, practical and impactful in fostering informed, empathic and active global citizens. 

One of the standout features of the toolkit is its use of real-world examples and insights from current teachers. Designed for easy use, it demystifies the complexities of GCED with clear strategies, examples and practical tools, ensuring that educators can take immediate action. The toolkit is informed by teachers and leaders in Australia, Philippines, South Korea and more recently, Lao People's Democratic Republic.   

The toolkit introduces a dynamic 4-phase inquiry-based learning cycle – discovery, design, implementation and evaluation. The cycle encourages continuous improvement and deep reflection, making it highly practical and adaptable for diverse educational contexts​.  

GCED is about more than just imparting facts; it is about developing deeper, more critical thinking skills and a strong sense of global empathy. The toolkit emphasises the importance of moving beyond surface-level knowledge to help students develop transferable skills, guiding users to develop their own critical thinking, empathy and GCED engagement, as well as the skills of their learning partners.   

Based on a GCED framework developed through a collaborative research partnership between UNESCO APCEIU and the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Centre, the toolkit can support countries in the Asia-Pacific region to monitor progress toward United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.7 – ‘to ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.’ 

The toolkit is grounded in contemporary evidence and aligned with international benchmarks. It is directly aligned to the 2023 UNESCO Recommendation for Peace, Human Rights, and Sustainable Development, bridging the gap between global ideals and actionable classroom practices. This ensures that the strategies presented in the toolkit are not only practical and accessible, but also globally relevant and in line with current trends in education.  

While the toolkit is informed by universal principles of GCED, it can be customised to the unique needs and priorities of local contexts. The integration of contextual elements enables schools and educators to tailor GCED to their local policies, curricula and community priorities. 

The toolkit provides educators with measurement tools to track students’ progress in multiple dimensions – cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioural. These tools help educators assess not only the knowledge students acquire, but also how they think, feel and act as global citizens.  

Transformative pedagogies are at the core of the GCED toolkit. These methods promote active, experiential, and collaborative learning, such as project-based learning and inquiry-based learning, to holistically develop students’ knowledge, values and skills.  

Recognising children as key rightsholders in the education process, the toolkit involves students in every phase of GCED planning and evaluation. This student-centred approach is crucial for fostering agency, responsibility and leadership skills, ensuring that students learn about global issues and become active participants in shaping solutions. 

The ACER-APCEIU GCED Monitoring Toolkit encourages a collaborative systems approach to GCED. It acknowledges that meaningful change requires a collective effort and shared responsibility, with educators, school leaders and policymakers all playing vital roles. 

The toolkit is more than just a resource; it is a catalyst for transformative education. By equipping educators with the tools, strategies and frameworks they need to support GCED, the toolkit is helping to shape a generation of young people who are informed, empathic and ready to take action in creating a peaceful, just and sustainable world.

Further reading  

Read the ACER-APCEIU GCED Monitoring Toolkit for Teachers, Schools and System Leaders 

Read our report, Being and becoming global citizens: Measuring progress toward SDG 4.7. Phase I: Monitoring teacher and school readiness to enact global citizenship in the Asia-Pacific region. 

Read our policy brief, Monitoring and evaluating global citizenship education in the Asia-Pacific region.  

Read our summary report, Being and becoming global citizens: Measuring progress towards SDG 4.7. Phase I: Monitoring teacher and school readiness to enact global citizenship in the Asia-Pacific region. 

The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr Karena Menzie-Ballantyne from CQUniversity for collaborating on the toolkit.