Studying abroad: A path to becoming a changemaker

Studying abroad is an exciting adventure, full of new ideas, cultures, and opportunities. But beyond personal growth, international education has the potential to turn you into a changemaker - a person who doesn’t just dream of a better world but actively works to create one.

Here’s a step-by-step framework to help you navigate this journey and offer insights supported by expert opinions.

Cultivate Global Competencies

Developing global competencies is essential for understanding and addressing complex social issues. This involves acquiring skills such as critical thinking, cross-cultural communication, and adaptability. One option is for you to explore and consider the ‘Global Citizenship Education’ framework that aims to empower learners to engage and assume active roles in building more peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, and secure societies.

Engage in Community-Based Learning

Participating in community-based learning projects during your studies abroad will allow you to apply academic knowledge to real-world social issues. This experiential learning fosters a deeper understanding of societal challenges and enhances your problem-solving abilities. The Institute of International Education emphasizes that such projects can help build solutions that lead to meaningful social change by addressing systemic barriers and power imbalances.

Build Relationships That Matter

While books and lectures are important, the relationships you build during your education are equally valuable. Professors, classmates, and mentors can become your collaborators, partners, or even co-founders of future ventures.

Treat these relationships as long-term assets. Stay connected, share ideas, and look for ways to work together. The networks you build can help amplify your impact far beyond what you could achieve alone. Research also indicates that diverse social networks enhance creativity and innovation, which are crucial for addressing social and global challenges.

Develop Solutions That Balance Profit with Impact

Focus on creating solutions that are not only effective but also sustainable and scalable. This may involve social entrepreneurship, where business principles are applied to solve social problems. The success of such ventures often depends on their ability to adapt to local contexts and address specific community needs.

There are several success stories of this concept. For example, students from a top global university started a company that provided solar-powered lighting to rural communities. Instead of relying on donations, they created an affordable pricing model that allowed families to pay in small installments. This way of thinking ensured that their efforts were sustainable and scalable as they grew to become a multinational company.

Develop Your Leadership Skills

Being a changemaker isn’t just about having the right solution - it’s also about inspiring others to join you. Leadership qualities like empathy, resilience, and communication are critical, particularly when leading community projects or scaling solutions. Strong leadership mobilizes diverse stakeholders, builds trust, and creates momentum for action.

International education offers countless opportunities to develop these skills, whether through leading project teams, mentoring peers, or organizing local initiatives. Practice these skills consistently, as they will be instrumental when scaling efforts or advocating for policy change.

Be Prepared to Learn from Failure and Commit to Lifelong Learning

No journey is without setbacks. Whether it’s a project that didn’t work or a venture that fell short, failure is an inevitable part of the process. International education teaches resilience by exposing you to new challenges and pushing you out of your comfort zone.

Embrace these moments as learning opportunities. The lessons you gain from failure will often be your greatest assets in the future.

Also, understand that your education doesn’t end with a degree.

The world is constantly evolving, and so must you. Stay curious, keep learning, and adapt to new challenges and opportunities. A true changemaker is someone who never stops growing.

Once Successful, Advocate for Policy Change

Policy change is the final piece of this jigsaw puzzle. Success strengthens your credibility, enabling you to advocate for systemic reforms. Collaborate with stakeholders, including policymakers, NGOs, and community leaders, to amplify your voice and push for long-term impact.

Start small by identifying policies that directly affect the communities you’ve worked with and propose practical adjustments backed by evidence from your projects.

Using your networks and leadership skills, create coalitions to increase influence in policy discussions. By tying advocacy to real-world outcomes, you can ensure the policies you support address structural barriers effectively and create sustainable progress.

Closing Thoughts

Becoming a global changemaker isn’t about grand gestures - it’s about taking small, intentional steps to make the world better. An international education can be a powerful tool that can help you bridge gaps, solve problems, and inspire others. The world is waiting - so go out there and start making a difference.

(The author is Harvard Business School alumnus and startup mentor)