GVI: Online Study Abroad Courses

Absolutely loved this course!

You are introduced to the concepts of human-centred design, behavioural science, systems innovation, social entrepreneurship and impact investing through 5 manageable modules which feature engaging case studies, optional in-depth study options, additional resources and weekly discussions.

I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn how social entrepreneurs and enterprises are driving social and environmental change and how they're finding innovative solutions to the world most pressing problems. You'll find the course content truly insightful and engaging.

I did the GVI online wildlife internship program and it was so rewarding and educational! Not only was I provided with classes to learn from, but I was also given a project to create which is now going to be used by GVI and other students for further research purposes! They give you a project in your area so I was able to work with an animal that I had never previously heard of which was really cool. Knowing nothing to being an expert on a topic if very rewarding. If the online internship was this amazing, I can't wait until I can do an in-country internship!!

I qualified in Environmental Science about 25 years ago. These well-put-together courses have given me insight into what is happening in this field currently while at same time empowering me to apply what I’ve learned practically in my social entrepreneurship work. As a wanderer grounded by Covid-19, these online courses have been a brilliant way to stay engaged with the world and motivated to plan for when the world opens to travel once again! There is depth and substance here. Highly recommend for your sustainable development journey.

I participated in the Sustainability and Climate Crisis Course and the experience was more than I could have expected! The trainer was kind, professional and gave amazing feedback on all questions and assignments. She was not only knowledgable but actively working in this field, on the ground.

Participant interaction was great, I got to meet people from all over the world. Different ages, backgrounds and experience levels but one passion to know more and actively change the world.

I did this course out of interest and its great for that, but would also recommend this for anyone looking for a career in this space. The course encourages your research and critical thinking skills, leaving you wanting to dive in further!

I recently completed GVI’s Ethics in Sustainable Development online course.

I think what was probably most beneficial about it for me was how it helped me with my career choices.

I don’t think this course is just for people who’re interested in sustainable development or the ethics of it, but probably anyone who isn’t satisfied with settling for an average 9-to-5.

Many of us want to do work that actually makes the world a better place. But we don’t reflect on it. We just make assumptions about what kinds of jobs will help you make a positive impact. Our thinking might be too narrow, like “I have to work for a charity or non-profit” or “I have to be a doctor”. Or we might also make assumptions about international development work that are actually quite harmful. (You’ll learn all about this in the course).

In the final assignment you do your own research about organisations you’d like to work for and make your own career choices. The coursework prepares you for this final project.

What made my particular experience pretty interesting (and I hope you’re as lucky) is that the students were from all over the world and had different backgrounds and interests. There were people who were students and people who had been working for 20 years. There were people from Europe, Central America, and me, from Africa. I connected with people I would not have met otherwise. Some of us even connected on LinkedIn afterwards.

Also I should say I was first drawn to the course because I majored in philosophy and currently work in digital marketing and the instructor for this course, Rosie Urbanovich, has a similar background. I thought it would be interesting to learn about her career and it was. Also whenever someone was interested in a specific subject she was always helpful in helping them explore that path.

I participated in the GVI Human Rights and Advocacy online short course. It exceeded my expectations. I learnt a lot about the United Nations role in advocating for human rights around the world, gained a better understanding of the politics, langugage and legal processes of human rights, and became more familiar with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and what it truly represents.

This course is a great foundation for anyone passionate about this subject or seeking to develop their knowledge and skills to pursue a career in advocacy. The course provided me with a better understanding of the origins and complexity of human rights and advocacy and I would highly recommend this course to others. It's beneficial for furthering both personal and professional development.

The materials were highly engaging and well thought-out and our course instructor was extremely knowledgeable. She facilitated deeply thought-provoking and inspiring discussions that were attended by participants from around the world, including the US, Ireland and South Africa.

I participated in the GVI Human Rights and Advocacy online short course. It exceeded my expectations. I learnt a lot about the United Nations role in advocating for human rights around the world, gained a better understanding of the politics, langugage and legal processes of human rights, and became more familiar with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and what it truly represents.

This course is a great foundation for anyone passionate about this subject or seeking to develop their knowledge and skills to pursue a career in advocacy. The course provided me with a better understanding of the origins and complexity of human rights and advocacy and I would highly recommend this course to others. It's beneficial for furthering both personal and professional development.

The materials were highly engaging and well thought-out and our course instructor was extremely knowledgeable. She facilitated deeply thought-provoking and inspiring discussions that were attended by participants from around the world, including the US, Ireland and South Africa.

I took part in the Impact Measurement GVI Online Course. It was a great experience and very interesting to learn about the different methods that can be used to measure an organisation’s social and environmental impact. Beth, our instructor, was so nice and you could tell she really knew her stuff when it came to impact measurement. It was great to meet the other participants and see how invested they all were in doing the course and in the field of sustainability as a career. Having worked for corporates, social enterprises and NGO’s I found the course material very interesting, having that comparison between how different organisations prioritise, or don’t, making an impact and their motivations for measuring impact. I would recommend the course to anyone wanting to do an online course, as a way to support their current studies or to further broaden their skillset in their career development.