The existence of globalisation in the world has given much alteration in many aspects of human being’s life. Globalisation in one hand has changed the perspective in the interaction of human beings with the borderless, cross-cultural, and rapid communication. Yet, in the other hand, globalisation has become the potential source of conflict caused by the injustice situation, social gap, and the loosing of the cultural values, as well as discrimination in many aspects.
Thus, the universal societies within this universe need the global ethics. The global ethics put itself as the key to develop and create better circumstances in the universe: the interaction among the global human beings, justice, the equity in human rights, and democracy. Those things are the main elements of the global issues, which will be the principles of the global ethics.
The people in this world should develop a global ethics which can be applied equally in everything that is involved in the world affairs. Global ethics is one media to have the universalism as the fundamental principle. Hence, the equality of the human beings is brought in the first place. Equality has the closest relationship with the human rights. The universal human rights states that human beings are born equal, and all of them may enjoy the rights without concerning class, gender, race, community, or generation.
This is our duty to keep the environment of the world for our future generation. We have to take care of and use all the environmental resources for all the people needs: for all the members of present and future generation. So that, they can also enjoy the same opportunities as we have right now. Future generation will be our responsibility and our duty that we should concern it from now on.
What should we do to keep our future generation having their rights to enjoy the global environmental resources? It can be answered by the people themselves. The ability on creating a better global circumstance made by the people depends on the people themselves. Bottom-up approach will be an effective way to change and create a well-pattern framework in the globalisation circumstances. The starting point will be the individual himself. Having a good-quality individual can be derived from the educational institution.
Educational institution leads the future generation with the educational and ethical issues. Through this institution, the generation in this universe will be equipped with the awareness towards the changes global issues, open-minded individual to see the globalisation as medium to understand the cross-cultural and ethical values. The specific kind of the educational education is the highest level of the educational institution; university. Within this level of educational institution, the generation will be made up to have a critical thought, an independent personality, and idealism concept based on their intelligence and maturity. It is the purpose to prepare the generation to face the ever-changing social circumstances in the globalisation era (where the global ethics is placed as the central point).
Christian higher education is one type of formal educational institution, whose mission and vision is based on the Christian values; charity. Through its vision and mission, the students will be equipped with the values and responsibility to face the global society and the global issues, in form of fraternity, solidarity, and tolerance. Hence, if the students as the next generation already had the moral basis, ethics values, and developing intelligence, they would have the ability to implement those all things in the social life, where the global ethics are exist. In this way, the Christian values are applicable in the global ethics issues: human rights, democracy, and justice.
The implementation of the global ethics through the higher education can be done through many ways. The first example, the higher education can cooperate with NGO (non-governmental organization) to implement the global ethics directly to the society in its surrounding. Secondly, the educational institution should promote the mutual understanding within its surrounding, nation and global environment by holding an activity, like conference about issues that occur in its surrounding and in the world, or about the cross-cultural understanding. It may also come with the student exchange for example in the provincial/regional, national and international level. Thirdly, the higher education should realize that they are the part of the society, so they should also serve the society as the main part of the educational institution. Serving the society with the charity will give a best result for the better circumstances. Option for the poor for example, can be one of the missions that should be implemented by the people within the educational institution who should concern not only to the academic purposes, but also to the existence of the society in their surrounding.
The role of the Christian Higher Education should not be just limited on educating the young generation with the sophistication of science and technology but focusing on the implementation on that knowledge for the betterment of the world community. This is in one hand by integrating the students’ commitment to serve as agent of change in the nearby community and social environment. Globalisation should not be an issue if the matter of humanitarian and social affairs is concerned. In fact, it should become one of the strength points in enhancing the widespread of commitment throughout the world based one universal principled and values.
Giving the world’s commitment to halt the spread of poverty and humanity degradation, Christian Higher Education should equip the young generation with the spirit and commitment to care and take action in response to the ever-changing world around them. This should be especially incorporated in the Christian Higher Education’s curriculum and community services activities which should give a greater opportunity for the students to be involved in the social-empowerment projects.
It is highly expected that the young generation will be equipped with the feeling of concern for their surroundings. They are expected to be the vanguard of democracy and human rights in the future, to take pride in everything they contribute to the betterment of the society based on the Christian values and to promote the mutual cross-cultural understanding based on the networks they have built themselves with their fellow-students around the world.
Finally, the Christian higher education will be able to share a contribution to the global society in implementing the global ethics, and the global ethics will be able to be applied in each individual to reach the greater community, the global citizen. As the wise man says, “even the one thousand miles journey begins with one step forward” should become the spirit that enshroud the mind of the young generation that it takes courage and utter commitment to start making changes. Idealistic young mind should go side by side with the perspective of the real world surrounding them.
This is the idea of incorporating the universality of Christian values into the real work of humanitarian activities in the real world. The global ethics will become the guideline principles that will lead the young generation into the implementation of their shared idealism and the commitment to act. One point, the global ethics will bind them in one value, unity and belief to serve as agents of change in the real world, our world.
Linggayani Soentoro
Sent and presented in International Student Conference, Chinese University of Hong Kong
June 2005
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