Many students in my International Management classes choose to build a stronger global mindset throughout the course of a semester. There are many ways to go about doing this – there is no one “best” way. It is important to start off with a daily 15-minute approach (minimum) that you find motivating.
Most students opt to become aware of what is going on in the world in terms of global events, and that can be done in a variety of ways (global news podcasts, reading global news, etc.). However, a global mindset can also be enhanced by learning about the unique, positive cultural elements of various cultures as well as learning about how common human activities (such as sports, cuisine, music, etc.) are valued in various cultures. Below are some ideas to get you started thinking about how YOU would like to go about strengthening your global mindset.
Building Awareness of the Uniqueness of Cultures
Here are some resources that past students have found helpful in increasing their awareness and appreciation for cultures and their people.
http://www.bbc.com/travel/columns/culture-identity
https://www.bbc.com/travel/columns/why-we-are-what-we-are
For Global news
It is useful to find news outlets that are not from your native country or the country you are currently living in so that you can gain new perspectives on global events and events happening in your own country. Here are some useful global news outlets to consider:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world
https://www.euronews.com/news/international
https://www.dw.com/en/top-stories/world/s-1429
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/
Documentaries/Podcasts
Some students have found that daily watching documentaries that dive down into in-depth analyses of other cultures or global issues is a great method for increasing their global mindsets. There are so many options available it would be impossible to list them all here. The main thing would be to select a topic that you have some interest in and learn about how that topic is manifested in another culture, or how it operates in the global context. Examples of some topics you can explore are (but not limited to) sports, cuisine, music, art, immigration policies, law, crime, etc.