Former SNHU GEM Academic Coach Chance Bisimwa shares his experiences attending the recent Global Education Forum
Chance Bisimwa, a former Southern New Hampshire University Global Education Movement (SNHU GEM) Academic Coach and SNHU MBA graduate, recently participated in the Global Education Forum 3rd Act. The forum focused on the need to transform higher education to meet modern demands and realities. As a panelist, Chance had the opportunity to discuss his inspiring work coaching displaced students working toward earning their university degrees with SNHU GEM. Chance shared his reflections about the forum with us:
Recently I participated in the social impact track of the Global Education Forum 3rd Act, the Future of Higher Education. The conference helped me to better understand how leaders of higher education institutions are promoting transformation in the traditional university system by exploring and embracing matters such as digitalization, social impact, and entrepreneurship.
I had an opportunity to serve as a panelist and share my experience as a former Academic Coach with SNHU GEM. I saw firsthand the impact of SNHU GEM on the lives of displaced people and their host communities. For so many, the hope of pursuing or continuing higher education was not guaranteed. Displaced students face many challenges such as administrative barriers to higher education for refugees, the inflexibility of traditional higher education programs or a lack of bridging courses.
With its partners, SNHU GEM is providing not only hope to students, but a real pathway to obtaining a university degree. SNHU GEM and its partners offer bridging courses, the right technology, and personalized learning and resources. This has facilitated higher education access to many students who are first-generation graduates. The effective competency-based learning model builds the skills employers are looking for in a graduate, and allows SNHU GEM students to work on projects that demonstrate leadership skills within their community.
I got to learn from students from all across the world during the conference. As I listened to their stories, I realized that higher education initiatives like SNHU GEM are truly responding to the global call of Sustainable Development Goal 4: to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
