AFS is proud to announce an inspiring milestone: our Global Competence Certificate (GCC), through the Global Up Americas, has won the Global Impact Award in the Global Engagement at Home category..
Global Up Americas is a fully-funded Virtual Exchange program for educators and students in the Americas (Colombia, Mexico, USA) to develop crucial global competence skills for the 21st century using the AFS Global Competence Certificate. Supported by funding from the Stevens Initiative, this program has provided scholarships for 3,000 students and 120+ teachers over three years, engaging them in building cultural understanding, strengthening open-mindedness and leadership to create positive change. See DA’s official announcement
Global Up Americas is a fully-funded Virtual Exchange program for educators and students in the Americas (Colombia, Mexico, USA) to develop crucial global competence skills for the 21st century using the AFS Global Competence Certificate. Supported by funding from the Stevens Initiative, this program has provided scholarships for 3,000 students and 120+ teachers over three years, engaging them in building cultural understanding, strengthening open-mindedness and leadership to create positive change.
Global Up Americas was special from the start– backed by a strong international AFS team and shaped by the local realities, creativity, and commitments by AFS Colombia, AFS USA, and AFS Mexico. Together, we built something that connected people, ideas, and communities across borders. 👉 Learn more about Global Up Americas at globalup.com/global-up-americas/
The Global Impact Award, presented by Diversity Abroad (DA Global), celebrates innovative initiatives that make international education more inclusive and equitable. This recognition honors programs that remove barriers to global learning, giving students the opportunity to engage with the world—no matter where they are. The award’s “Global Engagement at Home” category specifically highlights initiatives that create meaningful global experiences for learners who remain within their local communities. Through virtual exchange, collaborative learning, and intercultural dialogue, programs like Global Up Americas make international education accessible, proving that global competence can be built anywhere.
Behind this recognition are the 120 educators who completed the Global Up Educator program and became AFS Qualified Facilitators, along with the 100+ institutions that believed in the power of intercultural education and supported every step of the process. Watch our video of results
And, of course, there are the 3,000 students whose stories make this program come alive, young people who earned their Global Competence Certificate through Global Up Teen, guided by teachers who helped them collaborate with peers in another country through virtual exchange.
We also want to recognize the Stevens Initiative, who sponsored in large part this endeavor, inspiring AFS to deliver this innovative connection across the Americas. They are the ideal partners to show how technology can be used not just to connect, but to truly understand one another, build relationships that cross borders, and work together for a more inclusive, just, and peaceful world through meaningful virtual exchanges.
Christine Shiau, the Executive Director of the Stevens Initiative acknowledged:
“This program has not only propelled AFS’s efforts to provide inclusive learning opportunities for underserved and diverse youth globally, but it also continues to demonstrate significant scalability and impact. By creatively expanding access to global learning in non-traditional ways, Global Up Americas is effectively bridging critical privilege gaps through virtual exchange, truly embodying the spirit of this award.”
Linda Stuart, Director of Global Education Innovation at AFS Intercultural Programs, further reflected during the ceremony:
“This award is a recognition of the Global Up AmĂ©ricas transformative impact as well as the decade-long effort behind Global Up programs. It highlights how virtual exchange enriches learning by creating meaningful opportunities for learners who remain in their local communities. Global Up AmĂ©ricas proves that active global citizenship can be fostered anywhere, empowering students to connect, collaborate, and thrive across cultures.”
As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Global Competence Certificate, this recognition from DA Global honors not just a program, but a shared vision: to make global citizenship education accessible to all. For AFS, it is much more than a milestone, it is proof of what can be achieved when educators, students, institutions, and partners come together to turn global citizenship into a lived reality. This high point on our journey will continue to inspire us to keep reaching and expanding access to quality global learning for everyone. With deep gratitude to everyone who supported this project!
Showcasing Innovation at the DA Global Conference
During the Global Impact 202 Conference in Minneapolis, MN, the AFS team also participated in several interactive sessions exploring how global learning drives sustainability, career readiness, and social impact.
- Bridging Virtual Exchange, Sustainability & Future Work. Linda Stuart, Director of Global Education Innovation and Head of the Global Competence Certificate at AFS Intercultural Programs, joined Danielle Walters (University of Tennessee, Knoxville) and Dan Nolan (University of Minnesota) for an engaging Campfire Session. Together, they explored how educators can connect virtual exchange with sustainability goals and workforce readiness, sharing curriculum design strategies and collaboration models.
- Empowering Global Disruptors: From Kindness Theory to Social Justice. In this dynamic session, Linda Stuart and Katherine Yngve, Vice President, Global Learning at Yngve Associates, discussed how global learning, empathy, and kindness can empower students to become changemakers. Participants explored practical strategies to advance equity, inclusion, and global competence across their institutions, linking theory to real-world social impact.
- Leveraging Global Experience in Storytelling. Molly Stern from the Global Competence Certificate team at AFS Intercultural Programs, alongside Alex Hamel and Maria Mantey from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, led a session on how educators can help students translate their global experiences into powerful stories. Through examples and tools, participants learned how storytelling can build connections, foster intercultural learning, and amplify the impact of global education.