OXF1: Global Challenges of the 21st Century

The course provides a general introduction to a range of global challenges of the 21st century adopting five approaches:

TUTORIALS: Students, normally in groups of three, will attend three tutorial meetings. Each meeting will last an hour. Students will write a total of three short essays, each of 1,500 words on subjects addressing social, technological and environmental issues. These will be assessed and returned with comments by their tutor. Students’ individual contributions to the tutorial discussion will be assessed by the tutor.

PRESENTATIONS: Students will attend five seminar presentations by researchers drawn primarily from the Oxford Martin School. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the content with the researcher. Each session will last for a total of 90 minutes.

STUDENT PROJECTS: In groups of three or four, the students will prepare a project for presentation in the final week. Each presentation will be followed by questions from the entire group. The project itself will be assessed by the program directors, as will the students’ individual contributions to the presentation and to the discussion.

PLENARY CLASS: Students will take a six-session course on International Development: Challenges in a Changing World. The students will meet as a whole group (12 – 15 people). Students will prepare one essay of approximately 2,000 words and this will be assessed by the tutor and returned before the end of the School. Students’ contributions to the class discussion will also be assessed by the tutor.

PLENARY LECTURES: Students must attend a minimum of five (5) lectures offered through the Oxford University Summer School in History Politics and Society. Each lecture is followed by a Q&A period, so each session lasts 90 minutes.

The course provides a general introduction to a range of global challenges of the 21st century. The target audience is undergraduate students with a minimum of two years’ study in the areas of Humanities, Physical Sciences, Medical Sciences, Life Sciences or Social Sciences.

Learning Outcomes

• To acquire a critical and informed understanding of some of the global challenges confronting humanity in the 21st century
• To understand the inter-relation between different aspects of human development and its impact on the environment
• To develop critical skills within a more sophisticated understanding of particular aspects of human development and the implications for the future
• To extend their knowledge of issues and challenges beyond their own area of disciplinary study
• To research and produce analytical work within tightly specified deadlines, requiring effective research skills and the rapid assimilation and analysis of complex information
• To work with a group of peers from different parts of the world and to extend their awareness and sensitivity to cultural differences

Assessment

Contact hours: 35 hours

Credit equivalent: Est. 10 ECTS

Exams: None

Students must arrive by 15.00 on Monday 24 June 2013

Students will be able to check-in from 11.00 on Monday 24 June 2013

Check-out date: 09.30 on Saturday 20 July 2013

Please note

• that students cannot be accommodated either before or after the program.
• the final event concludes at 21.30 on Friday 19 July.

Accommodation is provided in Exeter College in central Oxford. The college is one of the University’s oldest and details can be found on its website at http://www.exeter.ox.ac.uk/

Participants will have a single study-bedroom, with shared bathroom and toilet facilities. The college buildings are mainly four storeys high and access to bedrooms is by stairs only. (Applicants with mobility problems should contact us at an early stage to discuss arrangements.)

Meals are provided in the college dining hall. The first meal is dinner on Monday 24 June and the last is breakfast on Saturday 20 July. No lunches are provided at weekends.

Tuition fees	:	GBP 1,055
Accommodation including any deposits	:	GBP 2,520
Other deposits	:	N/A
Field Trip	:	N/A
Textbook Fees	:	GBP 100
Miscellaneous Fees	:	GBP 80 For those who need to apply for a UK Student Visitor Visa
Living Expenses	:	GBP 400 (est.)

There are ten awards of £1,000 provided by the Santander Bank, UK Branch.

1. If I am accepted, when will I receive more course details, such as course content, reading lists, timetables, payment schedule & cancellation policies, campus maps and other logistical details?
   Assuming applications are complete, we shall issue offers of places by Friday 12 April 2013 and we need to receive your response by Friday 19 April .
   
   Once we have received acceptances of places we shall issue our invoices and these are due for payment by Friday 17 May 2012.
   
   Cancellation policy:
   If you cancel your place on the Course at any time after expiry of the initial seven-day cooling-off period you will not be entitled to a refund, except in exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Department for Continuing Education. If a refund is given, an administration fee may be levied. If you wish to cancel you must inform us in writing (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
   
   We plan to circulate further details of the academic program, including details of preparatory reading, by 1 May 2013.
   
   Travel (Joining) Notes will be issued on the same date. (1 May 2013)
2. Will I have access to student facilities such as computer labs, libraries and health services at the hosting university?
   Participants will be residents in Exeter College and will have access to the college student IT room.
   
   Students will be provided with a Reader's Card that will give them access to the University's main reference library, the Bodleian Library and, on a reference-only basis, to certain faculty libraries.
   
   No free medical services are provided. Free National Health Service treatment is not provided for people from countries without a reciprocal health agreement with the UK. Students coming from such countries, of which the USA is one, must expect to be treated as a private patient and pay in cash on the day for any treatment. Students are strongly advised to take out their own medical insurance or to ensure that their existing policy covers them while they are in the UK.
3. Will I need a visa to attend this GSP course?
   Many non EU / EEA students will need to enter the UK as a Student Visitor. Arrangements for this depend on the passport held: some people can be stamped in as they enter through UK immigration, others will need to apply in advance for a visa. Information about visas is available from: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/student/
   
   The Oxford GSP coordinator will provide a supporting letter for your visa application. You will need the original (not an electronic copy) of this formal confirmation letter. Please note that this letter can only be issued after we have received full payment of your invoice.
4. How can we interact with other participants and GSP alumni before the course?
   Once you have accepted our offer of a place on the program, please visit our Official IARU GSP Facebook page and meet informally with other GSP participants.

You can direct your questions about course credits and scholarships to your home institution. More details about the application process and deadlines will be available in the "How to Apply" page.

Once shortlisted by your local university, and when submitting your application, please include

• A statement of purpose (max 300 words) setting out your academic reasons for wishing to attend this program
• One reference from an academic at your home institution who knows your work well.
• A list of courses already taken (e.g. a copy of your transcript).

When accepting a place on the program, please send an electronic copy of a “passport-style” photo. For further information about the course, please see website: www.conted.ox.ac.uk/iarugsp