The study explores how sense of global connectedness can be enhanced by creating opportunities for cross-cultural dialogue in higher education. Thematic analysis of randomly selected 15 learning journals, students’ reflections on their learning during an international seminar was used to identify students’ significant learning experiences. The results emphasise the added value of diversity (geographical, disciplinary, cultural and social) among students, faculty and invited presenters for creating meaningful learning. Furthermore, they suggest that designing an integrated approach of contents, contexts and activities for critical engagement in global dialogue and knowledge generation in higher education can open up new perspectives to students in education and thereby increase their sense of global connectedness. The research addresses internationalisation of higher education, contributes to the development of international study programmes and provides means to enhance inclusion of global issues in higher education policies, curricula and practice.

Tanzania, like many other African countries, has experienced a rapid expansion of its secondary education sector. This has resulted in large numbers of secondary school graduates struggling to build a future through continuing education or finding employment. ¹ 1. During the past decade, secondary education enrolment in Tanzania has increased rapidly, net enrolment in secondary education in 2009 being 31.3% (URT 2009 United Republic of Tanzania (URT). 2009. Basic education statistics in Tanzania. National data. Dar es Salaam: The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training. http://216.15.191.173/statistics.html. [Google Scholar] ). Still, transition rates from primary to secondary education are among the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although almost equal in lower years of primary education, the proportion and performance of girls decrease while moving to the upper secondary education. For a recent review on gender and education in Tanzania, see Okkolin, Lehtomäki, and Bhalalusesa ( 2010 Okkolin, M.-A. , Lehtomäki, E. and Bhalalusesa, E. 2010. Successes and challenges in the education sector development in Tanzania: Focus on gender and inclusive education. Gender and Education, 22(1): 63–71. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar] ). View all notes Students are faced with the difficult task of assessing their opportunities in the face of various challenges and making plans to build a better life. The presented research uses empathy-based stories to identify which elements were considered to be important by students in determining their success in education. The analysis of narrative data represents a shared cultural meaning on the social and cultural support available to students. The findings suggest that using empathy-based stories as a methodological tool can provide valuable insights for culture-sensitive and intercultural research through its ability to widen the context of discovery.

The recent discourse on sustainability science calls for interdisciplinary research. The home economics science approach ranges from individual actions to the involvement of communities and societies at large, and thus it can provide important perspectives on cultural sustainability. The aim of the research is to study the linkage between cultural sustainability and service sector education to support the creation of sustainable professions. In the present small-scale empirical study, the food service degree curriculum of a Finnish vocational college and teachers’ group interview data were analyzed to find how cultural sustainability is presented in the curriculum and how it is understood by teachers and integrated into teaching practices. Previous cultural sustainability research identifies four perspectives of cultural sustainability: (1) vitality of cultural traditions; (2) economic starting point; (3) diversity together with maintenance of local culture; and (4) possible influence on the balance between human actions and environment. Findings indicate that sustainability, including cultural sustainability, is integrated in the curriculum and considered important by teachers. Translating these into practice remains a challenge. The balance between human and nature was mostly understood as recycling, use of public transport, sustainable consumption, and taking trips to the nature nearby. Cultural sustainability as a concept is not well known, although themes such as multicultural issues, equality, charity, and environmental responsibility were included in teachers’ practical lessons daily. Feasts and celebrations in learning were opportunities to view cultural sustainability widely. This paper provides a way forward for the teachers to develop further their pedagogical practices.

Strengthening the identities of teacher educators is critical to quality teacher education and implementing change in the education sector. This study examines the professional identities of Eritrean teacher educators and how these identities can be strengthened through collaborative professional practice in a challenging context currently under reform. The focus is on the professional capacity building activities at the College of Education in Eritrea, which were implemented in collaboration with Finnish education partners. The paper reports on findings from an action-research informed study of a semester-long series of professional development seminars and an interview study with individual teacher educators. The qualitative content analyses of seminar participants’ drawings, evaluations and interview data focus on: 1) identifying critical issues that support the formation of teacher educator identities, and 2) understanding how collaborative practice at the institutional level can support the strengthening of professional identities. The findings point to potential ways of creating critical colleagueship and more purposeful, contextually relevant approaches for professional development in teacher education. The need for strengthening the identities of teacher educators’ through bottom-up processes and in collaboration with international partners is highlighted.