The SAI Global Leadership Certificate (GLC) is offered in Florence, Rome, Milan, Barcelona, and Paris. The GLC combines academic courses, community engagement, mentoring and structured reflection to enhance global awareness and build a framework for leadership development. It is designed to enrich students’ experiences abroad and to acknowledge their academic and service work by providing an additional credential beyond a university transcript. Students enrolled broaden their awareness of global issues through research, engagement in community service, and interaction with local experts and leaders.
Why add a Global Leadership Certificate to your SAI program?
- Develop leadership skills that contribute to academic and career success
- Broaden your awareness of global issues
- Engage in your local community abroad
- Interact with local and global leaders
- Bridge the gap between your classwork and real-world experiences in your host community
Participating SAI Schools:
- Florence University of the Arts (Florence)
- John Cabot University (Rome)
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Milan)
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona)
- Universitat de Vic (Barcelona)
- The American University of Paris (Paris)
Certificate Responsibilities
For successful completion of the certificate, students must:
- Enroll in one (or more) global awareness course, and earn a B or better in the course (see below for examples);
- Engage in community service during the semester for a minimum of 15 hours;
- Participate in three seminars, lectures and/or meetings with experts and leaders on topics such as migration, multiculturalism, the role of women, diplomacy, social justice, sustainability, and globalization;
- Maintain a journal of activities, observations and reflections on how their study abroad experiences may inform their understanding of global issues, and meet with a SAI mentor to discuss related activities;
- Submit a 500-word leadership paper that incorporates research and analysis of the global issue (selected earlier as the main topic), describes how local and global leaders respond to the issue and recommends further social action.
Upon successful completion, students receive a reference letter that confirms completion of the certificate and related activities, along with a certificate suitable for framing. On request, the certificate can appear on a U.S. transcript (processing fees may apply).