Internationalisation , Diversity and Inclusion
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Transcript of Internationalisation , Diversity and Inclusion
Internationalisation, Diversity and Inclusion
Emerita Professor of the Internationalisation of Higher Education
@elspethjones
Elspeth Jones
www.elspethjones.com
University of Sheffield Learning and Teaching Conference 2013. Programme introduction
• ‘students who have experienced different life paths come with different expectations, different needs, different learning styles, and different ambitions.’
• ‘a crucial dimension of our discussions today is concerned with embracing diversity, and turning the diversity of our students and staff into a resource to enrich the university as a whole and everyone who has a role within it.’
Professor Paul White, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Learning and Teaching
What is ‘internationalisation?’
International student recruitment
League table positioning
International partnerships and
networks
Internationalisation of research
Study abroad and exchange
Curriculum internationalisation for
all
Internationalisation which is
‘transformational’ rather than merely ‘symbolic’? (Turner and Robson 2008)
Domesticnon-
mobile students
Domestic students who have ‘studied’ abroad
Students from other countries who have
come to the UK to study
Diversity Wheel, Loden 1996
Domestic students who have ‘studied’ abroad
Domesticnon-
mobile students
Students from other countries who have
come to the UK to study
Curriculum internationalisation is for all students
Even if domestic graduates never leave their own country, on graduation they will be forced to compete in international, or multinational, work and discovery environments.
Zimitat (2008)
• Intercultural competence
• Global perspectives
What do we mean by ‘intercultural
competence?
‘cross-cultural capability’, ‘intercultural sensitivity’ and ‘cultural fluency’
increasing body of literature linking internationalisation with multiculturalism, equity and diversity (Killick, 2006; Clifford and Montgomery 2011; Fitch and Desai 2012)
Intercultural competence - not knowledge of a
single culture but operating effectively
across cultures
Exposure to ‘otherness’
Making the familiar seem strange
Means challenging our own identity, values,
assumptions and stereotypes and those of
our students
Learning about cultural ‘others’ and seeing the world from their perspective
Intercultural competence required to operate effectively in global contexts is
equally important for increasingly diverse and multicultural local
communities
Multicultural classrooms - resource to be used
purposefully to help develop intercultural skills for all
students
Requires an inclusive approach to curriculum and pedagogy and to
recognise and value cultural insights which our students (and staff) can offer
Global perspectives, culture and inclusive curriculum
• Influence of cultural background on values and actions
• Understanding of professional, cultural and national contexts
• Questions of cultural dominance and the implications for the subject
• Issues of sustainability and global impact
• Cultural considerations in professional practice
Internationalisation and employability
Employers are looking for graduates with first-hand experience of living and working among other cultures.
79% of chief executives and board level directors of businesses in the UK think that in recruiting new
employees, knowledge and awareness of the wider world is more important than achieving a high degree
classification
British Council/Think Global, 2011
Fielden et al (2007)
What skills do employers want?Prospects: the UK’s official graduate careers website
Self-reliance skillsSelf-awareness Proactivity Willingness to learn
Self-promotion Networking Planning action
People skillsTeam working Interpersonal skills Oral communication
Leadership Customer orientation Foreign language
General employment skills
Problem-solving Flexibility Business acumen
IT/computer literacy Numeracy Commitment
Specialist skills Specific occupational skills Technical skills
These are precisely the skills developed through international
experience
Jones 2013, forthcoming
Confidence
Willingness to take risksPatienceSensitivity Flexibility and open-mindednessHumility and respectCreativityManaging personal expectations
Example of outcomes from ‘study abroad’ (Jones 2010 and 2012)
Intercultural competence
Team work and team leadership
Organisational skills and project management
Problem solving
Networking
Mediation skills and conflict resolution
Decision making (and communicating decisions which may not be popular)
Interpersonal skills
Example of outcomes (Jones 2010 and 2012) Employability skills
If we view internationalisation as one dimension of diversity, it is clear that domestic
environments could play an equivalent role in offering opportunities for experiential learning
in an inter-cultural context, taking people beyond their comfort zones, and creating
‘disorienting dilemmas’ (Mezirow) by engaging with cultural otherness.
Offering intercultural experiences for non-mobile students
How do we encourage domestic/international student interaction within and beyond the curriculum?
Engagement with local multicultural society – do we ask our students and make the most of their contacts?
Are we using what students returning from overseas have learned and can offer others?
Resources
Higher Education Academy – International pages (especially on working with international students)
Internationalisation of the curriculum (Betty Leask OLT fellowship)www.ioc.net.au
Jan Goddard www.tlc.murdoch.edu.au