50 International Participants Arrive in Denver, Colorado, for the Second WorldSmart Global Education Program

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DENVER, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Challenging students to grow, learn and develop a new set of multicultural skills and a global perspective, guest lecturers, academic staff and Up with People leadership addressed participants as the second class of the WorldSmart(TM) Leadership Program, the global education program of Up with People, arrived in Denver, Colorado, USA, for orientation.

Students from Kenya, the United Kingdom, Romania, Cyprus, Ireland, Australia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Brazil, Belgium, Japan, Germany, Turkey, Sweden, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, the United States and China gathered for orientation and training in Denver and Northglenn, Colorado, USA, before traveling to Boston, Massachusetts; Waterville, Maine; New Britain, Connecticut; and Scarborough, Maine, USA.

From there, the 50 international students will travel and learn in six locations in Japan, including Nagoya, Hiroshima, Arao, Omura, Kumamoto and Suita, Japan. Their tour in Europe will include Bruxelles, Belgium; Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Rostock, Germany; Leipzig, Germany; Luzern, Switzerland and Rome, Italy, finishing their unique educational experience June 12.

"Our world is fast becoming a global community. International education is critical to ensure that our graduates are citizens of the world who are able to successfully live and work in this global society," said Jeff Hoag, chairman and chief executive of Up with People, the parent company of the WorldSmart Leadership Program.

Students enrolled in the program are eligible to receive 9 - 15 hours of credit from the University of Colorado at Denver, USA.

According to Hoag, WorldSmart is a unique blend of theoretical instruction, exploration and hands-on learning in seven countries of the world.

"This is an unparalleled learning opportunity because the world is our classroom," he said. "Students learn from the instructors, learn by doing and learn from each other, and focus on building intercultural leadership and communications skills."

The WorldSmart Leadership curriculum consists of three courses: Theories of Leadership, Intercultural Communication, and Communication and Conflict. The intensive curriculum also gives students the opportunity for hands-on community service, and a unique internship experience. As a result, students develop a global perspective, intercultural understanding and a civic-minded background, according to Hoag.

Instructional strategy and course content has been designed by University of Colorado at Denver and includes on-line pre-course work, a three-week orientation in Denver, Colo., 16 weeks of travel in North America, Japan and Europe, and an on-line post course.

According to WorldSmart participant Amanda Li-Sai of France, the global education program has given her new instructional and hands-on learning opportunities.

"What I love best about the program is that we meet so many people along the way, we learn leadership and communications skills, and complete specific internships. We also do things I could not do in my hometown like going to a baseball or a hockey game, going white water rafting and doing community service projects. We have worked with local youth, reforesting a burned area, built a fence, worked at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, volunteered at a wildlife park and participated in other worthy projects," she said. "I try to imagine what the next 16 cities and weeks might look like, but I know that the reality will be more colourful, more exciting, more adventurous than I ever dared to imagine."

Applications are now being accepted and available through http://www.worldsmart.org for the program beginning August 2005.

Cost for the program is $14,500 US, which includes tuition, air travel, housing, meals and ground transportation, as well as a full-time education team that travels with the group throughout the program. Scholarships are being offered to students age 18 to 29 based on need and merit.

Today, the WorldSmart Leadership Program operates out of three locations: the international headquarters in Denver, Colorado, USA; the European office in Lugano, Switzerland; and the Asian office in Tokyo, Japan.

The WorldSmart Leadership Program is a program of Up with People. Since 1965, Up with People, a non-profit organization, has been developing and connecting young people from around the world through unique multicultural, international educational programs. Up with People is an independent, educational organization and is not affiliated with any religion, political group, or government.

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