BLOG: Developing Intercultural Fluency, Carbon Literacy and Employability of WP Students through In-Person Sustainable Global Experiences

28 May 2025

By Jamie Bettles, Founder, Pagoda Projects
This blog is part of our NEON Summer Symposium 2024 series.

Summary

Sustainable Global Experience (SGE) offers inclusive climate education, funded by UK universities in partnership with Pagoda Projects. It includes Carbon Literacy Training and an overseas field trip focusing on Sustainable Development Goals. Students report a positive impact on their overall university experience, improved engagement with sustainability, employability and mental health.

About Pagoda

Pagoda Projects is a leading provider of internships and global experiences.

Our mission is to create exceptional outcomes – for universities, companies and diverse groups of students all over the world. We do this by partnering with universities and governments to design and deliver innovative programmes that strengthen students’ international employability.

We’re also a certified B Corp – making a real difference for people and the planet.

Problem #1: Climate Change

“After more than a century and a half of industrialisation, deforestation, and large-scale agriculture, quantities of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have risen to record levels not seen in three million years. The role of human influence on the climate system is undisputed, but collective actions still have the potential to determine the future course of the climate.” – United Nations

According to the Sustainability Skills Survey 2021-22, this view is shared by students with 79% wanting to see sustainable development actively incorporated and promoted through all courses and 88% agreeing their place of study should actively incorporate and promote sustainable development.

Problem #2: Unequal access to global opportunities

In 2015–16, students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds were 65% more likely to participate in outward mobility than their peers from lower socioeconomic backgrounds (2.5% participation rate compared to 1.5%).

In 2015–16, black and minority ethnic (BME) students represented 22.2% of the student cohort but only 17.6% of the outwardly-mobile group.

In 2015–16, 75 care leavers participated in outward mobility. This represents a 1.0% participation rate amongst care-leavers in universities, which is below the sector average of 1.7%.

According to the UUKI research 86.7% of students who participated in a short-term mobility were in a graduate job six months after graduating, compared to 73.2% of non-mobile graduates. 6.1% Graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds who were mobile during their degree earned 6.1% more than their non-mobile peers, and those in work were more likely to be in a graduate-level job (80.2% compared to 74.7%).

Our Response

Sustainable Global Experience (SGE) makes climate education accessible to every student. It’s an innovative and inclusive programme with Carbon Literacy at its core, focusing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which students will explore in theory and practice. Our blended approach to climate education allows students to learn about key issues in sustainability, gain professional certification and apply this knowledge to real-world experiences.

Part 1: Students complete online Carbon Literacy Training.

Part 2: Students embark on a short field trip to see sustainable development practices in action in their city.

Programme Aims:

Gain knowledge of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as a framework for understanding climate issues
Understand the actions required by governments, businesses and individuals to avoid the worst impacts of climate change
Complete 12 hours of Carbon Literacy Training to become certified in Carbon Literacy, accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project
Develop an awareness of sustainable business practices and unethical greenwashing tactics
Think critically about what it means to live and act in a carbon-negative or carbon-conscious way
Gain exposure to a new city, culture, customs and language, developing cultural fluency and intercultural communication skills
Start to build a personal and professional network
Develop professional skills to boost CVs and improve employability

Carbon Literacy

The Carbon Literacy Training for this programme has been developed by the Department of Natural Sciences Carbon Literacy Team on behalf of the Environment Team at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Students complete 12 hours of online Carbon Literacy Training, delivered by Pagoda’s Carbon Literacy trainers through online training sessions and webinars.

After 12 hours of training, students are encouraged to reflect on what they’ve learnt and submit an official pledge to the project. This represents students’ personal promises to fight climate change and denotes two actions they are willing to take to reduce their carbon footprint – individually, and as a member of society.

Upon completion, students become certified in Carbon Literacy and receive a certificate to show to future employers. This demonstrates their commitment and competency when it comes to sustainable development.

Case study 1: Leeds Beckett university

Students were travelling outside the UK for the first time. The university supported students with their passport applications. 92% of participants were inspired to explore more international opportunities in the future.

Case study 2: University of the West of England (UWE)

Participants were all part of the UWE Cares community of care leavers and students with care responsibilities. 96% of students felt that they‘d developed their professional network as part of the programme. A full analysis of the impact of this programme is found in Professor Abigail Gregrory MBE’s blog post for Pagoda.

Outcomes for our University partners

Results based on 192 feedback submissions:

78% of participants felt a greater sense of belonging at their university as a result of completing our programme
92% said that their experience with Pagoda had a positive impact on their overall university experience
89% of participants saw a positive impact on their wellbeing / mental health
87% improved their intercultural fluency
86% feel more confident in their ability to interact with others
96% are inspired to explore more international opportunities in the future
93% reflected on ways that their discipline could contribute to a sustainable future.
92% learned new ways to reduce their carbon footprint
96% feel more motivated about taking action to tackle climate change
90% are inspired to work for/with sustainable organisations in the future

In 2023 our SGE programme saved 12.5 tonnes of CO2 saved vs flying. We offset 17.03 tonnes of CO2 using sustainable offsetting programmes.

In relation to students’ employability:

86% improved their communication skills
95% improved their teamwork & collaboration skills
83% developed their ability to chart their career path
81% were able to think more critically and solve problems
79% improved their presentation skills
88% expanded their professional networks