Global citizenship: International Studies Students in the Latin American and Spanish majors at UTS

This paper marks the 30th anniversary of the Bachelor of International Studies (BIS) at the University of Technology Sydney, highlighting its evolution and its role in fostering intercultural communication competency (ICC) and global citizenship. Focusing on the 12-month In-Country Studies and Fieldwork Project (ICSFP) in Hispanophone countries, it examines how students integrate linguistic proficiency, intercultural negotiation skills, and critical enquiry through immersive study abroad and scaffolded research projects. Drawing on examples such as a case study on ethnic community relations in Madrid, the paper illustrates how ICSFP participants engage with social justice issues and develop the capacity to act ethically in diverse cultural contexts. The findings demonstrate that the BIS, through its integration of language study, international experience, and guided research, produces graduates equipped with the awareness, adaptability, and responsibility characteristic of global citizens.