Preparing Globally Competent Professionals and Leaders for Innovation and Sustainability

The personal and organizational struggles and accomplishments revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic highlight that innovation is the defining trait of individuals and organizations that thrive in the 21st century. The global health crisis not only accelerated the global geopolitical tensions and disrupted organizations in all sectors, but confirmed the importance of preparing globally competent citizens, professionals, and learners who can effectively respond to the economic, environmental, and digital transformations in the 21st century through lifelong learning and professional development. Leaders today need to not only understand the financial, operational, sociocultural, and historical contexts of regional, national, and global systems, but also to build effective partnerships and trusting relationships with all stakeholders in effective policymaking, fostering an organizational culture that supports innovation and managing risks.

Preparing Globally Competent Professionals and Leaders for Innovation and Sustainability is centered on international higher education’s role for the global common good. It critically examines the need for globally competent citizens, professionals, and leaders in the 21st century and higher education’s role in the global common good for a sustainable world. The book presents an evidence-based interdisciplinary framework and promising strategies to allow all learners to develop global citizenship and global leadership while addressing the need to prepare human capital for the global knowledge economy and digital transformation of the 21st century. Covering topics such as accessible education, international higher education, and organizational innovation, this premier reference source is an excellent resource for organizational leaders, executives, faculty and administration of higher education, government officials, human resource managers, industry professionals, researchers, academicians, and students.

About the Author

Linyuan Guo-Brennan, PhD, is a Professor of International and Global Education at the University of Prince Edward Island, Canada. She is a global educator and global leader with 30 years of professional and academic experience in Canada, the USA, and China. Her scholarly efforts focus on global leadership, international higher education, global competence education, curriculum studies, international and comparative education, teacher education, education change, diversity and inclusion, and research design. She is author of the book Educating for Global Citizenship and Sustainability and has published extensively on teacher education and development, higher education, global citizenship education, global leadership education, curriculum internationalization, education administration and leadership, curriculum reform, and international development. She has extensive leadership and professional engagement in all aspects of international higher education, including strategic planning, policy and program development, leadership, teaching and learning, and academic services. Outside of academia, she has managed bilateral international development programs, facilitated international relations and partnerships as a consultant, directed global education programs, and evaluated accredited international programs. She is recognized as one of 100 lead global thinkers by Global Citizenship Foundation.

Michael J. Guo-Brennan, PhD, is an Associate Profession and the Director of the Master of Public Administration Program at Troy University. He served in leadership roles in education, non-profit and governmental organizations for over 20 years before beginning his academic career in higher education. His teaching and research focus on global public policy and affairs, governmental relations, and public administration. He has published extensively based on his scholarly and professional work in public administration, public policy analysis and development, leadership development, organizational management and culture, governmental relations, immigration, civic engagement and capacity in urban education reform, and global competence in higher education. Michael has provided consulting and management services for governments, non-profit organizations, business organizations, and newcomers who seek assistance in expanding business development and government relations. His works have taken him to cities across the USA, Canada, and China.