LOCAL ACTION WITH A GLOBAL IMPACT
Building strong, resilient, self-reliant communities worldwide
From the smallest village to entire nations, a community is only as strong as its most vulnerable members. Poverty, hunger, healthcare, quality education, affordable energy, and more — worldwide challenges to community development are daunting. But the complex needs and issues facing marginalized communities across the globe can be solved—with compassion, systematic research, and practical solutions that foster stability and self-reliance.
Established in 2010, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s GLOCAL International Development Program is committed to translating cutting-edge academic research into practical understanding of a community’s needs. This, coupled with direct action in the field, is bringing vast benefits to local communities, providing them with the tools to thrive.
A global approach inspired by Jewish values
GLOCAL is continually weighing its dual mission of encouraging global responsibility, as seen through the prism of Jewish tradition, and advancing development for impoverished communities around the globe. Interdisciplinary teams of scientists, educators, and students work alongside local leaders to develop sustainable, community-based solutions with particular emphasis on agricultural productivity.
Whether it’s helping to bring clean drinking water and reliable green energy to rural African villages or helping local non-profits grow professionally, GLOCAL is developing stronger communities around the world by putting cutting-edge theory into practice.
The program successfully channels Israeli development expertise, lending holistic and creative solutions to some of the global community’s most chronic problems. For example, the program offers rural communities new ways to produce enough food to feed themselves — more difficult now than ever due to climate change. This knowledge enables a local population to stay in their ancestral homes and not become part of a mass migration abroad or be forced to relocate to overcrowded urban centers.
Training future global development leaders
GLOCAL is an interdisciplinary, 18-month master’s program. Classes are taught in English and the student body is a mix of Israelis and overseas students, many of whom are from developing countries. The program’s unique approach builds on a strong academic curriculum, with a foundation of various social science disciplines. Learning is amplified through practical, 4-month internships at international organizations working with local communities around the world.
We can only find answers to the world’s big problems by working as a global community. This approach allows students to work alongside local and international professionals, as well as members of local communities. Students gain hands-on experience in a variety of disciplines — from agriculture and public health to education and advocacy.
And though participants’ work is personal and localized, their impact is global. Today, GLOCAL alumni are prominent in a variety of development organizations in Israel and across the world. Many current and former students have started their own social action organizations.
With each new community’s success, with each improved life, the global community grows stronger. By supporting important programs like GLOCAL, we are building a better world together.