The Global Graduate Awards (GGA) are a series of free extracurricular courses, unique to Surrey, that provide an excellent opportunity to expand your horizons and enhance your employability.

You may choose one of the following subjects to take up alongside your course of study:

• GGA in Global Citizenship
• GGA in Languages
• GGA in Sustainability
• GGA in Entrepreneurship (coming September 2023!)

Upon completion, it will be recorded on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR), undergraduate and postgraduate-taught students will be awarded 15 co-curricular credits, whilst research students will receive a certificate.

GGA in Global Citizenship

GGA in Global Citizenship aims to provide a space for discussion on how global citizenship relates to campus life, life in the wider community and the professional context. You will learn about key topics such as Global Competence, Social Responsibility, and Civic Engagement, and develop knowledge and skills relevant to the international workplace including project planning and reporting, teamwork, and intercultural communication.

GGA in Languages

GGA in Languages aims to raise a sense of cultural awareness and is offered in the following languages: Arabic, British Sign Language (BSL), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. All 11 languages are available at beginner levels, whereas French, German, and Spanish up to advanced levels. You will be introduced to the cultures and societies in which the target language is spoken, and develop the four core skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing (receptive and productive skills for BSL).

GGA in Sustainability

GGA in Sustainability aims to give students an in-depth understanding of sustainability issues, and experience in creatively communicating such issues. You will gain insights into a wide range of issues across the ‘three pillars’ of sustainability–Environmental, Economic, and Social–such as biodiversity loss, tax incentives, and sustainable tourism. You will also be given training in creative communication techniques like making videos, audio podcasts, and social media campaigns.

As someone who has taken up GGA in Languages (Japanese) this year, I highly recommend applying to one of the many GGA courses if you have some time on your hands, or would like to spice up your CV. The workload is light, with two contact hours per week, and there are no prerequisites for applying!

If you have any questions about GGA, feel free to leave a comment on this post or reach out to the GGA Administration Team directly at gga@surrey.ac.uk.