What is Global Challenge?

WACE has partnered with edtech start-up Practera to launch a Global Challenge student-industry project program. This program activates a global network of Universities and teams of diverse students to assist organisations to advance initiatives aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Through Pactera’s platform, global student teams undertake online projects to help business, government and community organisations identify practical ‘Shared Value’ initiatives to create social, environmental & economic value.

The Global Challenge program builds on the success of the WACE Global Student Collaborative Projects’ (WGSCP) pilot in 2020 which connected students from 9 WACE Institutional members from 8 countries in a transnational project experience. To Date 500+ students from 34 Universities have participated in the 4 Global Challenges.

In 2022 Global Challenge was awarded the PIEoneer Award for Real Life Learning. The PIEoneer awards are awards for international education that recognise excellence and innovation.

Each Global Challenge program will run for 4 weeks and include:

• cultural intelligence workshop and program orientation and induction
• a 3-week virtual project where multidisciplinary teams of students work collaboratively to solve a challenge for a real organisation
• a reflection and presentation component.

Global Challenge assists in preparing students for the dynamic global workplaces of the future by students :

• Gaining a global perspective, mindset and network
• Enhancing their employability skills though industry experience
• Building collaboration, cross cultural communication, problem solving, innovation and consulting skills
• Gaining experience and confidence with the use of various online collaboration tools
• Understanding the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The program is to open to all WACE members and also non-members, dependent on capacity.

For more information, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions.