Women's Literature As Recommended By Our Instagram Community
We are blessed to have a global community of followers on our Instagram account, and for Women’s History Month we decided to ask them for recommendations of books written by women, and we had such a great response we decided to create a reading list to share here! Click each book cover for more detail.
Why not take a look below and refresh your reading list – happy reading!
All About Love
1999, bell hooks
L’Élégance du hérisson
2006, Muriel Barbery
House of the Spirits
1982, Isabel Allende
Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
2017, Taylor Jenkins Reid
Gone With the Wind
1936, Margaret Mitchell
I Couldn’t Love You More
2012, Jillian Medoff
The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea
2022, Axie Oh
By Ash, Oak, and Thorn
2021, Melissa Harrison
Communion: The Female Search For Love
2002, bell hooks
Beloved
1987, Toni Morrison
Inkheart Trilogy
2008, Cornelia Funke
Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey Into The Heart of Islam
2020, A. Helwa
Becoming
2018, Michelle Obama
Extracting the Stone of Madness: Poems 1962 – 1972
1968, Alejandra Pizarnik
The Promise of Happiness
2010, Sara Ahmed
Arráncame la vida
1985, Ángeles Mastretta
Women Who Run With the Wolves
1992, Clarissa Pinkola Estés
You Play the Girl: And Other Vexing Stories That Tell Women Who They Are
2017, Carina Chocano
Lost Children Archive
2019, Valeria Luiselli
To Kill A Mockingbird
1960, Harper Lee
The Unedited Diaries of Carolina Maria De Jesus
1998, Carolina Maria de Jesus
Ceniza en la boca
2022, Brenda Navarro
Almost Heaven
1989, Judith McNaught
Gone Girl
2012, Gillian Flynn
Tiempo Muerto
2017, Margarita García Robayo
Pride & Prejudice
1813, Jane Austen
The Midnight Library
2013, Kazuno Kohara
The Secret
2006, Rhonda Byrne
Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression
2005, Brooke Shields
International Women's Day - Inspiring Alumni From Each Of Our Partner Universities
Yesterday was International Women’s Day, which is celebrated on March 8 every year.
There is much to celebrate about women’s achievements, and yet there is still more we can all do, women and allies alike, to #EmbraceEquity and ensure that we build a world for those that come after us that is evermore diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
We’ve compiled a list of successful women in various fields who’ve graduated from each of our partner universities below.
But first of all, GLOCAL Cohort V student Melanie Thut paid this tribute to her fellow GLOCAL students:
International Women’s day is the perfect opportunity for me to say how much the women of GLOCAL Cohort V have inspired me, made me stronger as a feminist woman and made me understand the world from completely new perspectives. The past 1.5 years have shaped my personality, my beliefs and opinions immensely and this is thanks to all of you!! I was able to thrive as a character, find communion in our appreciative environment and a never-ending circle of love
Marion Gilchrist, University of Glasgow
Marion Gilchrist was the first woman to graduate from the University of Glasgow in 1894, and the first woman in Scotland to graduate with a medical degree, despite medicine being considered an ‘unfeminine’ subject at the time. She worked as a GP in Glasgow, specialising in eye diseases, and was also an early motoring enthusiast, having a garage on Ashton Lane. She was also a leading figure in the UK suffragette movement, but change took time: it would be 34 years after Marion graduate that women were finally granted full voting rights.
You can read more about her and other inspiring women who graduated from the University of Glasgow here
Lydia Wahlström, Uppsala Universitet
Lydia Wahlström was a Swedish historian, author and feminist, and one of the founders of the Sweden’s National Association for Women’s Suffrage. In 1892 she founded the first organisation for female students at Uppsala University, Uppsala Female Students. Among other innovations, the members became the first female students to wear their student caps in public, which was considered extremely inappropriate. A few years later, Lydia Wahlström was the second Swedish woman ever to defend a doctoral thesis in history.
María Elena Maseras, Universitat de Barcelona
This year’s IWD coincides with the 150th anniversary of the enrolment of Maria Elena Maseras in Medicine studies at the University of Barcelona: she was the first woman to ever enter higher education in Spain, paving the way for all who came after her.
The fact she was a woman caused great bureaucratic confusion, taking three years to grant her permission to sit exams. The Elena Maseras gardens at the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona are dedicated to her as a tribute to her pioneering status in the academic world.
Willemijn van der Goot, Erasmus University Rotterdam
All Rotterdam GLOCAL staff members have their office in the van der Goot Building on the Woudestein campus. Willemijn van der Goot was a pioneering figure in the field of economics, and was the first woman in the Netherlands to receive a PhD in economics.
She received her doctorate in 1927 for her dissertation on the expenditure of household income in the Netherlands. In 1935, she co-founded the International Archives for the Women’s Movement. Her achievements paved the way for other women to enter and succeed in the field of economics.
Chizuko Ueno, Kyoto University
An alumna of Kyoto University, Chizuko Ueno is a Japanese sociologist and known as ‘Japan’s best-known feminist’. Her work covers sociological issues including semiotics, capitalism, and feminism in Japan. Her research includes feminist theory, family sociology, and women’s history, and is best known for her contribution to gender studies in Japan.
She’s been a vocal critic of Japanese postwar revisionism, in particular defending the compensation of Korean comfort women forced into prostitution by the Empire of Japan. She also often discusses the semiotics and accessibility of feminism, arguing that Japanese feminist discussion often lacks the language needed to make concepts understandable and approachable.
María Ángela Holguín, Universidad de Los Andes
An alumna of the Universidad de Los Andes, María Ángela Holguín was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia from 2010 to 2018. She has also served as the 25th Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations, and as Ambassador of Colombia to Venezuela.
She graduated from the Universidad de Los Andes in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in political science, and she also completed a specialization there in public management and administrative institutions in 1992.
Chizuko Ueno, Kyoto University
An alumna of Kyoto University, Chizuko Ueno is a Japanese sociologist and known as ‘Japan’s best-known feminist’. Her work covers sociological issues including semiotics, capitalism, and feminism in Japan. Her research includes feminist theory, family sociology, and women’s history, and is best known for her contribution to gender studies in Japan.
She’s been a vocal critic of Japanese postwar revisionism, in particular defending the compensation of Korean comfort women forced into prostitution by the Empire of Japan. She also often discusses the semiotics and accessibility of feminism, arguing that Japanese feminist discussion often lacks the language needed to make concepts understandable and approachable.
Marlina Flassy, University of Göttingen
Marlina Flassy is an Indonesian anthropologist and the first woman to hold a deanship at Cenderawasih University in Jayapura, Papua province. She is also the first indigenous Papuan to be appointed Dean of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences there.
She studied for her PhD at the University of Göttingen, graduating in 2015 after submitting her thesis, entitled “Local Knowledge, Disease and Healing in a Papua Community“. Her research interests include women in West Papua, the Mooi people, the Napan-Wainame people, the Maybrat community and gender and health equality in West Papua.
Göttingen Thesis Presentations
Last week the GLOCAL students currently writing their dissertations in Göttingen gave their first presentations to their supervisors and peers. It was an opportunity to seek guidance and feedback on research questions and strategy.
GLOCAL Programme Coordinator Professor Duncan Ross: “It was an interesting and fascinating two days which reminded me – again – of the enormous range of interests and intellectual ambition of our students.”
Well done to you all and keep up the good work!
Books About Latin America Recommended by Latin Americans
This article was written by and originally appeared on the student-ran GLOCAL Experience blog and was written by GLOCAL student SzuTung Chen. You can view the original article here, and make sure to keep up-to-date with the GLOCAL Experience for a greater insight into life as a GLOCAL student.
Note: The GLOCAL Consortium values our student and alumni communities enormously but it’s important to note that the content of the GLOCAL Experience website and social media accounts do not in any way represent the official view or position of the Consortium or any of the Consortium partner universities.
Latin America is often neglected by the global economy and in politics, but after studying for three months in Bogotá, learning so much about its history, entrepreneurship, capitalism, and sustainability issues, and having first-hand experiences working and interacting with local people, I have to say Latin America is a truly magical place. A land with a tragic history, but also full of hope, passion, and happiness!
I have been struggling to pen down this magical, bitter-sweet experience, so I turned to what we love most in GLOCAL — BOOKS! I will let these amazing Latin American authors tell you about their homes and stories!
Below, I have collected recommended books from my Latin American GLOCAL friends and Los Andes professors to help readers understand more about this amazing region. If you are traveling to Bogota for the third semester, it’s recommended to read some of these books to get yourself prepared. But even if you are not going to Colombia during your third semester, these books will certainly take you there!
Colombian History
Colombia: Fragmented Land, Divided Society
- Author: Frank Safford and Marco Palacios
- First Published Year: 2001
- Recommended by:
Professor Andrea Lluch (Argentina)
Between Legitimacy and Violence: A History of Colombia, 1875–2002
- Author: Marco Palacios
- First Published Year: 2006
- Recommended by:
Professor Andrea Lluch (Argentina)
Marijuana Boom: The Rise and Fall of Colombia’s First Drug Paradise
- Author: Lina Britto
- First Published Year: 2020
- Recommended by:
Professor Xavier Duran (Colombia)
Latin American History, Culture, and Politics
The Economic History of Latin America since Independence
- Author: Victor Bulmer-Thomas
- First Published Year: 1995
- Recommended by:
Professor Andrea Lluch (Argentina)
Professor Xavier Duran (Colombia)
Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America
- Author: John Charles Chasteen
- First Published Year: 2000
- Recommended by:
Professor Andrea Lluch (Argentina)
Latin America: The Allure and Power of an Idea
- Editor: Mauricio Tenorio-Trillo
- First Published Year: 2017
- Recommended by:
Professor Andrea Lluch (Argentina) - “For a discussion of the idea of Latin America (cultural studies)
Problems in Modern Latin American History: Sources and Interpretations
- Editor: James A. Wood and John Charles Chasteen
- First Published Year: 2009
- Recommended by:
Professor Andrea Lluch (Argentina)
From Silver to Cocaine: Latin American Commodity Chains and the Building of the World Economy, 1500-2000
- Editors: Steven Topik, Carlos Marichal, Zephyr L. Frank
- First Published Year: 2006
- Recommended by:
Professor Xavier Duran (Colombia)
Andean Cocaine: The Making of a Global Drug
- Author: Paul Gootenberg
- First Published Year: 2008
- Recommended by:
Professor Xavier Duran (Colombia)
Football in the Americas: FayTbol, Futebol, Soccer
- Editor: Rory M. Miller
- First Published Year: 2007
- Recommended by:
Professor Xavier Duran (Colombia)
Exile within Exiles: Herbert Daniel, Gay Brazilian Revolutionary
- Editor: James N. Green
- First Published Year: 2018
- Recommended by:
Professor Andrea Lluch (Argentina)
El hombre que amaba a los perros
- Author: Leonardo Padura
- First Published Year: 2009
- Recommended by:
GLOCAL V – José Castillo Bermúdez (Guatemala) - “It’s a great novel to understand Latin America in a global context in the 20th Century!”
Las venas abiertas de América Latina
- Author: Eduardo Galeano
- First Published Year: 1971
- Recommended by:
GLOCAL V – Johan Velasco (Colombia)
Novels
El amor en los tiempos del cólera
- Author: Gabriel García Márquez
- Country: Colombia
- First Published Year: 1985
- Recommended by:
GLOCAL V – Johan Velasco (Colombia)
Cien años de soledad
- Author: Gabriel García Márquez
- Country: Colombia
- First Published Year: 1967
- Recommended by:
GLOCAL V – María Luisa Mészáros Ortiz
(Costa Rica)
GLOCAL V – Nuria Peregrin (Cuba)
Memoria de mis putas tristes
- Author: Gabriel García Márquez
- Country: Colombia
- First Published Year: 2004
- Recommended by:
GLOCAL VI – Juliana Bastos de Mello (Brazil)
La fiesta del Chivo
- Author: Mario Vargas Llosa
- Country: Peru
- First Published Year: 2000
- Recommended by:
GLOCAL V – Johan Velasco (Colombia)
GLOCAL V – Nuria Peregrin (Cuba)
Como agua para chocolate
- Author: Laura Esquivel
- Country: Mexico
- First Published Year: 1989
- Recommended by:
GLOCAL V – Laura Ortiz (Mexico)
Capitães da Areia
- Author: Jorge Amado
- First Published Year: 1937
- Recommended by:
GLOCAL V – Natasha Briguet (Brazil)
Crecer a golpes
- Author: Diego Fonseca
- First Published Year: 2013
- Recommended by:
GLOCAL V – José Castillo Bermúdez (Guatemala) - “It’s a great compilation of articles.”
Pedro Paramo: A Novel of Mexico
- Author: Juan Rulfo
- Country: Mexico
- First Published Year: 1955
- Recommended by:
Professor Andrea Lluch (Argentina)
Rayuela (Hopscotch)
- Author: Julio Cortázar
- Country: Argentina
- First Published Year: 1963
- Recommended by:
Professor Andrea Lluch (Argentina) and
GLOCAL V – Nuria Peregrin (Cuba)
La casa de los espíritus
- Author: Isabel Allende
- Country: Chile
- First Published Year: 1982
- Recommended by:
Professor Andrea Lluch (Argentina)
Inés del alma mía
- Author: Isabel Allende
- Country: Chile
- First Published Year: 2006
- Recommended by:
GLOCAL V – Laura Ortiz (Mexico)
Ternura
- Author: Gabriela Mistral
- Country: Chile
- First Published Year: 1979
- Recommended by:
GLOCAL V – Laura Ortiz (Mexico)
The Kingdom of This World
- Author: Alejo Carpentier
- Country: Cuba
- First Published Year: 1949
- Recommended by:
Professor Andrea Lluch (Argentina) - “The book is about the Haitian Revolution and Henri Christophe, a former slave who became Haiti’s first king.”
Children's Literature
Memórias da Emília
- Author: Monteiro Lobato
- Country: Brazil
- First Published Year: 1936
- Recommended by:
GLOCAL V – Gabriela Varejão (Brazil)
Accommodation in Bogotá, Colombia
This article was written by and originally appeared on the student-ran GLOCAL Experience blog. You can view the original article here, and make sure to keep up-to-date with the GLOCAL Experience for a greater insight into life as a GLOCAL student.
Note: The GLOCAL Consortium values our student and alumni communities enormously but it’s important to note that the content of the GLOCAL Experience website and social media accounts do not in any way represent the official view or position of the Consortium or any of the Consortium partner universities.
Bogotá is a bustling city with seven million habitants. The city is so large that it may take an hour to go from one point to another. Like all large cities, some areas might be more resident-friendly while some might be more complicated and dangerous. To help you decide on where to stay in Bogotá, GLOCAL V students shared their accommodation experiences around the city and penned their thoughts and tips to help you find your ideal accommodation in Bogotá!
Before we dive into accommodation options, it is important to keep in mind that the GLOCAL office, professors, and staff at the University of Los Andes are EXTREMELY friendly, efficient, and always willing to help. If you are looking for private accommodation on housing websites or Airbnb, remember to send your accommodation options to the GLOCAL professors in advance so that they can tell you whether the neighbourhood is safe.
City Center - CityU
CityU is the student accommodation that the GLOCAL office recommended students stay in due to its proximity to the university. I stayed in a four-person apartment with three other GLOCAL students. Below I will list the pros and cons of staying in CityU.
The biggest advantage of staying in CityU is its location. It took me 3-5 minutes to walk to the university, and since this year we had a 7 a.m. class and a 6 p.m. class on the same day, I could go back to my dorm to take a small nap. The traffic in Bogota is insane. Sometimes it takes half an hour to get an Uber, and then it takes forever to arrive at your destination during peak hours.
Another benefit of staying in CityU is its fantastic facilities. There are three buildings in CityU, and there are study rooms (individual seats and meeting rooms with whiteboards), game and TV rooms (you can borrow video games from the reception or watch a movie), a 24-hour gym, a painting room, a common kitchen, a barbecue area on the 20th floor (with great city view!), and tons of ping-pong and foosball tables. You can also invite friends over to study, have group meetings, cook, or watch movies!
Amazing view of the Universidad de Los Andes from the 30th floor study room
GLOCAL V barbecue party in CityU with a great city view
However, there are also some drawbacks to living in CityU. First, the buildings are located in the city center, and the area is not that safe in the evening (especially the roundabout area close to the Las Aguas TransMilenio station). Some classes are in the evening, so it’s recommended to walk with other classmates and avoid wandering around alone on the streets.
Also, the apartments themselves are not as good as the common areas. The walls are really thin, so I could hear my flatmates opening the doors, cooking, using the microwave, or chatting in the kitchen area. One of my flatmates was also constantly bothered by the noises made by the neighbours upstairs. If you are a light sleeper, the noises can be really troublesome. The kitchen in the four-person apartment is also small. There’s only one electrical induction stove and a tiny fridge for four people, so it was quite inconvenient, but my flatmates and I managed to take turns cooking for all of us — or we would eat out, as restaurants in Bogota are a lot cheaper than in Europe.
This information was provided by SzuTung Chen.
City Center - International Student Housing
City Center - International Student Housing
There are two main areas that I’d recommend you live in Bogotá, either by the University in Candeleria or up North in a place called Chapinero. Both areas have their positives and negatives. Chapinero has more cafes, bars, and restaurants but is further from the university. I lived near the university so I’ll go over that area first.
I initially lived in an international student house called Villa Verde, it’s very affordable (around €180 a month) and the house has about 12 rooms with students from around the world (mostly French students when I was there). The house is very fun, but the room I was in had no windows so I decided to move. But if you can get one of the other rooms, it’s a good option. The house is also only a 10-minute walk from the university. Below you can find a promotional picture for the boarding house.
The promotional flyer for the boarding house Villa Verde
Another similar house is called La Casa de Sol. One of our international classmates stayed there and recommended it. It’s a hostel during holidays, and a house for students (or working Colombians) during the semesters. The organization is called R10, and they have two more houses in La Candelaria. It’s a shared living room, with (mostly) shared kitchens and private rooms. It’s larger, with roughly 30 rooms, and tends to have more parties and social life, but during weekdays it is quiet after 11 p.m. Here is the link to their website to find more information.
After Villa Verde, I stayed in a housing unit called The Spot. I highly recommend this dorm over CityU. The bottom half is a hostel and the top half is apartments. They plan social events on the rooftop area. I paid €390 a month for a studio apartment, but there are cheaper options as well. Another similar option is a place called LivinX. Both have shared study areas and small private gyms, and are within walking distance from the university.
There are a fair amount of nice restaurants in Candeleria, but the neighborhood as a whole isn’t as safe as areas in the north. The main benefit of living here is that it’s close to the school. With the terrible traffic in Bogota, it’s a benefit being able to walk to class.
The area up north that I’d recommend is called Chapinero, and there are two specific neighborhoods within the area that I’d recommend. The first is Chapinero Alto, where there are a lot of cool bars and restaurants. Very close to that is a neighborhood called Rosales, which is a bit quieter and feels safer, but the people who live there are a bit older. These areas are more fun, but be wary that depending on traffic — it can take a while to get to the university. I’d recommend living as close to the main highway (closer to the mountain) as possible. The best way to find places is through Airbnb.
Both areas are nice, but neither is perfect. If you have any other questions feel free to reach out on LinkedIn. And finally, you can use this link to find the bars and restaurants in Bogota I recommend!
This information was provided by Spencer Long.
City Center - Airbnb
Bogotá is a very busy city, which is why it is so important that one finds accommodation that suits their expectations and offers a safe place to relax from the everyday life of the big city! I found my apartment through students from the previous cohort, which made the choice relatively easy, because they knew what my uni days would look like and could recommend something that was suitable to that lifestyle.
To start with, my apartment was located right in the centre of Bogota, just a 10min walk from UniAndes. This was one of the main reasons I chose this apartment: because I knew I would spend a substantial time at Uni, not only for classes, but also to meet for group work and to make use of the extensive free sports courses.
At the same time, one must mention that the centre of Bogota is not considered the safest, which is why one should not leave home after 8 p.m. (at least not by foot). I personally felt relatively safe during the day, but as soon as it got dark, the streets would get very empty and the general atmosphere did not feel the safest. However, I would not have wanted to change my location due to the proximity to uni and the very local lifestyle.
This information was provided by Ken Goigner.
Chapinero - Airbnb
During my semester in Bogota, I stayed in a wonderful flat in the Chapinero Alto neighbourhood. A GLOCAL friend and I discovered it on Airbnb and rented it together. The flat was in a secure neighbourhood with many trees, convenience stores close by, and a huge supermarket within a 10-minute walk. An Uber took just 13 minutes to get to the university (cost: £2-3.5).
For public transport, we had to walk for 10-12 minutes, and then take the TransMilenio bus, which took about 16 minutes to get to the station in front of the university (cost: £0.6). It was also central to the most popular areas for cafes, bars, restaurants, and nightclubs, within a short Uber ride. The time to the airport was also a plus — just a 20–30-minute drive (cost: £4-6).
We spent around £420 per month in rent. I believe it was an excellent decision for us, since we could easily travel to practically everywhere we wanted to go, the neighbourhood was quite peaceful, we had lots of space, and we could occasionally entertain friends and relatives.
This information was provided by Alejandra Cruz.
Airbnb accommodation in Chapinero. Photo credit: Airbnb.
GLOCAL Cohort IV Graduation - 28th November
Congratulations to our 2020-2022 GLOCAL cohort (cohort IV) who graduated on the 28th November from the University of Glasgow – we’re so proud of all of you and it was great to have everyone together.
GLOCAL Programme Coordinator Professor Duncan Ross: ‘Graduations are such a wonderful time of reconnection and celebration. We are particularly delighted to see so many Cohort IV GLOCALs in Glasgow participating in this special event. They were particularly disrupted by the pandemic and the opportunity to come together, share and reflect on their journey and celebrate with each other is just fantastic. They should be very proud of themselves: I know the whole consortium is and I want to congratulate every one of them on a wonderful achievement.’
We wish you all the very best in whatever you do next and please, keep in touch!
Live Instagram Q&A - Thursday 10th November, 11am UK/GMT
On the 10th November we hosted an Instagram Live Q&A, in partnership with The GLOCAL Experience, to answer questions about the application process. Click here to watch.
Answering questions and offering insight into the programme were GLOCAL Programme Coordinator Professor Duncan Ross, and Bruna Bauer, a current 2nd year GLOCAL student. Bruna is also involved with The GLOCAL Experience, a student-led blog that outlines everything you need to know about the GLOCAL Programme from a student perspective.
Many questions were asked about the eligibility of specific academic backgrounds. Professor Ross’ response throughout was “apply and make the case to us! If you think your degree is one that provides you with the skills, backgrounds, and abilities to be a good GLOCAL student, then I look forward to reading your application. I want to be very open about this: if you think that you’ll make a good GLOCAL student, then please apply!“
You can also find answers to many questions in our FAQ section, or in the ‘Your Questions’ story highlight on our Instagram page.
Cohort V begins their second year of studies in four different cities
This article was written by and originally appeared on the student-ran GLOCAL Experience blog. You can view the original article here, and make sure to keep up-to-date with the GLOCAL Experience for a greater insight into life as a GLOCAL student
After a summer well-spent travelling, studying, and working, students from GLOCAL cohort V have separated once more, this time into four different groups, to complete their second and final year of the program. From Kyoto to Bogota, Rotterdam to Göttingen, below, students outline their first impressions of their respective new schools and homes.
Kyoto
The second year of Track D studies started at Kyoto University in October 2022. I was very happy to see my friends after the long summer break. We have had a very productive start so far, sharing our experiences from the summer vacation with each other, with the relaxed atmosphere of Kyoto as our backdrop.
Classes are very challenging. The preparatory reading is around 50-100 pages per course, and there are about five classes, meaning that we read quite a lot every day. The content focuses on Asia and Japan, which was not emphasised as much in Glasgow and Barcelona, and we have many new things to learn as a result. Most courses are not only for GLOCAL students but also for students from other courses. They come from all over the world, mainly from Asian countries, and I expect a diversity of opinions in our classes.
For me, this is my sixth year in Kyoto, but for the other GLOCAL students, it is their first experience. Their interests in everyday life often make me rediscover Japanese society, too. One of my GLOCAL friends surprised me by saying that the Japanese are very quiet. Many new discoveries are waiting for us this year in Kyoto.
– Hideki Yoshikawa
Rotterdam
AT HOME EVERYWHERE – COHORT V’S FIRST DAY IN ROTTERDAM
GLOCALS from track A and E — Global History and Creative Industries — appeared to be the early birds to start the semester at the beginning of September. Even though this shortened the summer holidays, it also gave us the opportunity to take advantage of warm, sunny days in the Netherlands. After the informational meeting in the vast, modern building of Erasmus University and a delicious lunch, we were invited on a walking tour guided by professor Paul Van De Laar.
And guess what? We had to take a water taxi to reach the meeting point. The water taxi is a common transportation mode for Rotterdam but as a group of international students, professor Ben Wubs asked us whether we were afraid of it or if needed any support. But after our summer school experience, where we attended the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra concert on a floating stage via pedal boats, we smiled with the highest confidence level possible. To our surprise, though, the water taxis were speed boats, and the rush of adrenaline was much greater than we expected.
We crossed the river Maas and got off the cab at Kattendrecht in Southern Rotterdam, where we listened to the fascinating history of Rotterdam’s diversity. We also visited a local artist exhibition at Story House Belvedere — here, we stayed for dinner and visual artist Femme Hei cooked us authentic Chinese food.
The chef, who did not hesitate to have an interesting conversation with us, wore a t-shirt that said: “AT HOME EVERYWHERE” — so symbolic, and a much-needed reminder for every GLOCAL.
– Teona Chakvetadze
Göttingen
Welcome to the “village” of the GLOCAL community: Göttingen! Yet, this university town in Germany is not that small and insignificant at all. With 130,000 inhabitants, 30,000 of whom are students, the city lives on a long tradition of knowledge and academia, and is one of the most important university cities in Germany.
The GLOCAL Cohort V Track B and F students experienced this heritage first-hand during their introductory event at the campus mid-October. A city guide showed the students secret corners such as the former university prison and told all kinds of anecdotes about former Nobel Prize winners from Göttingen. The guide also discussed the critical start of the university’s history, which brought wealthy young men to the city for financial reasons who sometimes did not behave in a good manner at all.
The tour was complemented by a visit to the newly opened “Forum Wissen” the next day, a hands-on museum that further illuminates Göttingen’s rich history in the academic sector. The reunion of GLOCALs was very nice and stories from the summer were exchanged over dinner at the “Potato House.”
Now, there is still the calm before the storm, as students wait for the start of exciting courses in the field of development economics and economic history, as well as the start of the master’s thesis. Thanks to the great student-oriented infrastructure in Göttingen, however, it will be possible to focus on the work while also enjoying the golden autumn and the Christmas market season in Göttingen!
– Melanie Thut
Bogotá
SIN MIEDO, FOR BOGOTA IS AN ADVENTURE!
For us students in Track C and G of GLOCAL, the journey of our second year starts in a different continent, at Universidad de los Andes. Located in Bogota, the capital of Colombia, the university allows students to gain hands-on experience through Consultandes (our consultancy projects) and explore the myriad sustainability topics prevalent in Latin America.
Honestly, I was excited but incredibly scared at the start because my Spanish is the weakest among the GLOCALs coming here. Yet, after only a month here, my fear vanished as I became more and more enamoured by the colourful and vibrant atmosphere that is Colombia and the people. Everyone is so incredibly warm, friendly, and even patient with my lacklustre Spanish that I feel safe and welcomed. Truthfully, it reminds me of my home country, Vietnam, where everyone greets each other when stepping into the elevator and lifts our days with a brilliant smile. Furthermore, nature is breathtaking and unforgettable, and we have already planned several trips to Bogota’s stunning mountains and natural parks. Reunited with my friends, we found each other exploring the different sides of Bogota and sharing laughter and joy with field trips and museum visits.
Regarding courses, with four classes and several group projects (teamwork is a must in Universidad de los Andes), we delve deep into Latin American socio-political issues while also bolstering our professional growth. The classes and group work can be taxing at times, but the opportunity to study with local students and the enthusiasm from our amazing teachers help to shape a unique learning experience that I could have never imagined ever to be a part of. I am now here in Bogota, exactly halfway across the earth from my hometown, no longer with fear, but only with deep gratitude for my friends, teachers, and the beautiful people of Colombia.
– Anh Nguyen Chau Cong
QS Sustainability Rankings 2023 - 3 Partners in Top 25
Last week QS released their 2023 Sustainability Rankings, which focus on higher education institutions' performance in social and environmental sustainability. We're very proud that three of our partners, including our co-ordinating institution, have ranked in the overall top 25:
Uppsala Universitet - 11th
University of Glasgow - 13th
Universitat de Barcelona - 21st
We're also particularly proud that two of our institutions (Uppsala and Glasgow) have ranked in the top 10 worldwide for equality, with Uppsala being ranked an incredible joint 1st in the world!
These are the inaugural sustainability rankings by QS. They focus on social and environmental factors in Higher Education and feature over 700 universities worldwide. They take into account indicators such as: sustainability of research and education; equality; employment opportunities; and overall quality of life.
Public Speaking 101: One student’s journey to presenting at a 100-person conference
This article was written by and originally appeared on the student-ran GLOCAL Experience blog. You can view the original article here, and make sure to keep up-to-date with the GLOCAL Experience for a greater insight into life as a GLOCAL student
Public speaking is never easy. It can be daunting, intimidating, overwhelming. It is the type of skill that looks, feels, and sounds a little bit different every time you practice it. This idea simultaneously frightens and intrigues me. As strong as my desire (and fear) to practice and hone the skill of public speaking is, every time I find myself preparing for and giving a presentation, I remember just how challenging it can be. This was no different when I was asked to speak at the 2022 Scottish Women in Sport Conference, representing Actify, the company where I was currently working. I felt the butterflies and sweaty hands start in just seconds after saying yes.
The background – Finding a job
Let’s back-up – how did I get myself into this situation in the first place?
During my second semester of GLOCAL in Barcelona, I began to look for a job that could extend through the summer. I was primarily looking at the Glasgow Career Services database for different opportunities, and I soon stumbled upon Actify, a Glasgow-based social enterprise in the sports and physical activity sector looking to fill a marketing position. I applied and crossed my fingers, and by the end of March, I had started my job remotely with the company. The flexibility of working for a small company combined with an incredibly motivating and trusting group of colleagues created a wonderful working environment for me.
The lead-up – Preparing for the conference
After the semester in Barcelona ended, I moved back to Glasgow for the summer and continued working in a hybrid setting. This is where I was when, in mid-July, my manager asked me and my colleague, Robyn, to present and showcase the Actify Platform at the 2022 Scottish Women in Sport (SWIS) Conference. Neither of us had ever spoken at a conference before and were still fairly new to the company — let the nerves begin! However, it was the trust of our manager and the excitement of a new opportunity that pushed us past our initial fears and hesitations and convinced us to tackle this challenge.
Robyn and I met regularly during the six weeks leading up to the conference. They always say that preparation is key in any presentation, but it took us a long time to feel confident, or even comfortable, with the direction we were taking. We spent time researching, crafting our message, building an engaging presentation, thinking about our delivery — the usual. Finally, things were starting to come together. We had done the preparation; the next step was to fight the nerves.
Show time – The presentation
Finally! The day we had been waiting for had arrived. The conference was being held at the University of West Scotland in a beautiful modern building, inside a large lecture hall. We were the first presenters of the day and the tension was high — my legs wouldn’t stop bouncing and my hands were clammy. Thankfully, Robyn and I had each other — we reminded one another to breathe, manifest good vibes, and believe that we had this.
The minute the presentation began, the anxiety went away and we relaxed into the same routine that we had practiced many times before. I watched with enjoyment as the audience showed engagement, nodding along with our points, and laughing at the fun GIFs we had included on the slides. Before we knew it, the presentation was over, the questions were answered, and the audience erupted in applause as we walked back to our seats. We gave each other a small high-five as we sat down. We’d done it!
Reflecting – My key take-away
The presentation itself went incredibly well and I am proud of both of us for facing the challenge and our fears. I truly believe that the support we provided to each other and the support we received from the rest of our colleagues allowed us to push past our comfort zone and succeed at the conference. Of course, I also had many GLOCALs cheering me on in the background and congratulating me afterwards. I am incredibly grateful and honored to have had this unique opportunity.
Reflecting upon the experience now, I also find myself thinking a lot about the class presentations we must do for GLOCAL — and there are plenty of those. I am lucky and grateful that English is my native language, and I may not face the same challenges as many of my classmates who are presenting in their second or third language. However, I do know that I am inspired by everyone that I have seen present in the GLOCAL program, and I learn so much every time I listen to them share their ideas in class.
I’ve realized that one of the most important things about improving confidence in public speaking is surrounding yourself with encouraging, motivating, and inspiring people that you can trust to catch you when you fall, and most importantly, lift you up, push you forward, and cheer you on every step of the way.
