Enrolment options
Intercultural Competence: Course Description
Intercultural competence consists of the knowledge, skills and attitudes to communicate and collaborate effectively across cultural differences. This course introduces learners to key elements of intercultural competence, including culture, diversity, bias, verbal and nonverbal communication, conflict styles, and notions of equity, diversity and inclusion. Learners will be encouraged to reflect on their own cultural frameworks and worldviews, communication and conflict styles as well as biases and be exposed to various models and frameworks to develop their intercultural competence. During the course, learners will be encouraged to develop these competencies through a variety of channels. These include: (a) self-inquiry and critical reflection of one’s varied intercultural experiences; (b) application of digital and multimedia engagement tools; (c) instructor-led discussions; and (d) opportunities for peer discussion and engagement to encourage both social learning and structured collaboration through application of course ideas in an applied learning project. In addition, students will explore situations and challenges of how intercultural competence can improve group, societal and workplace effectiveness, with examples taken from Germany, across Europe, and internationally. In this way, learners examine and begin to demonstrate how intercultural competence that can applied to and enhance experiences in communication, collaboration, interaction and effectiveness across cultures, As such, it is hoped that by developing their intercultural competence, learners can enhance their international engagement and build a sense of global citizenship.