Study Global Studies at Otago

Fritha Davis:

So the reason I chose Global Studies at Otago was because of the diversity that it allows me to have in my studies. I love being able to take papers from all kinds of different departments, and everyone in the department is really, really supportive. Paola is amazing. I love the projects that we get to do — they’re really different to anything else you would get to do at Otago.

And Otago itself is a wonderful city. It’s got great access to the outdoors.

Associate Professor Paola Voci:

Hi, kia ora guys, I’m Paola. I teach in the Department of Languages and Cultures, and I’m the Director of Global Studies.

Global Studies is a new thing here at Otago. It’s something I’m really, really passionate about. It’s really a unique program — everybody’s gonna tell you that — but if you wanna make a difference in this world, and you are the kind of person that wants to think outside the box and will act locally to change the things at the largest scale, I think Global Studies is the place for you to be.

I studied languages all my life, and I just think that one of the main components of any global citizen is the awareness of language. You don’t have to be fluent in it, but understanding that there are people who think and speak in different ways will change the way you relate to others in any work environment.

So, languages: component of Global Studies. The other main component of Global Studies are the Global Studies themselves, and there are courses that are all project-driven, community-oriented, and take you outside of the classroom. And you’ll hear, hopefully, from some of my students in the same video.

The third very important component of a Global Study is really mentoring. We believe strongly that each and every one of you needs the sort of individual course advising and mentorship and pastoral care. So I personally follow all of you across the three years of the programme, all the way to what is an internship programme. And this is the career pathway at the end.

So you choose your paper — besides the languages and Global paper — in the area of your future career. And that’s why we have over 200 courses for you to choose, which can be daunting, but the reality is that you will choose quite carefully and rigorously.

It’s the idea of Otago — it’s like for Humanity — it’s sort of guided freedom. So we want you to be free, but we want to also make sure that you choose something that will lead you to a workplace. And work, in the end, is the most important thing that you want to have at the end of your university career, because you want to have a space where you do make that difference in your life and you are happy.