Development of intercultural competences among Danish and foreign students?

1. Development of intercultural competences among Danish and foreign students? From a Seminar at Copenhagen University College of Engineering 16. Marts 2011 - Bjørn Nygaard www.idethandling.combjorn@idethandling.com Edited and presented by Lars Peter Jensen

2. Culture is in most things we do Even in how to present one self! ”A Japanese business man visited a Fortune 500 company in New York. He was asked to give a speech, which he started by saying: ”I know that Americans often begin a speech with a joke. In Japan, we often start with an apology. As a compromise, I will apologize for not making a joke.” www.idethandling.com

3. Project about internationalization • DACIN internationalization project 2009 – 2011 • Participants SDU, VIA University College, IHK and (AAU) • 3 engineering educations, where classes/teams of mixed Danish and foreign students work together in one semester • Investigated question: Do cooperation between the two groups make a difference - perhaps with teaching input? • Project members from engineering educations, involved teachers, consultant Bjørn Nygaard and anthropology student Jonas Søgaard Green

4. Method • Development of targets and success criteria • Questionnairesurveys (before and after): Not finished/not valid • Focus group interviews with 53 students and 8 teachers – app. 2/3 international and 1/3 Danish • Observations at IHK by Jonas Søgaard Green (Anthropology student) www.idethandling.com

5. Method • Development of targets and success criteria • Questionnairesurveys (before and after): Not finished/not valid • Focus group interviews with 53 students and 8 teachers – app. 2/3 international and 1/3 Danish • Observations at IHK by Jonas Søgaard Green (Anthropology student) www.idethandling.com

6. Positive results of cultural encounter • Practice to work in multi cultural teams - they know this will be needed in future jobs; + on CV • A spice to life • Better English • More accurate in the formulations and makes use of multiple ways of explanation than usual • Foreign students: Learning to work in groups www.idethandling.com

7. Project objectives: increased intercultural competences better managers and colleagues Short term effect: • Dialogue on how to work together • Can manage conflict in groups • The students have established international / Danish network • Students seeking academic knowledge with one another across cultures and beyond danish borders Yes, about cooperation: establish rules; who writes what; etc. Not particularly good at this. Difficult - and no help from teachers. Not in particularly high degree - are grouped. Asking but learning is only one way Teachers ask but don’t use it www.idethandling.com

8. Preliminary Conclusion on Intercultural Competences • Trend: groups that work best: only people from Northwest Europe/USA or have only one member from other countries • There ARE more knowledge about a) culture can be a challenge b) learning and collaborative differences • Some still do not know how to deal with the challenges, while many others are in progress but still has some way to go • Intercultural competence is strengthened but not sufficient • ”It is now clear to me that working with people from other cultures is difficult but I have not yet found solutions.” www.idethandling.com

9. Which type of cultural encounter are we aiming at? • Assimilation – the international students behave like Danish students and e.g. learn how to share knowledge and talk openly to the lectures • Integration – they adjust on all important areas but keep a “cultural flavour” • Fusion – a double adjustment, where stakeholders test each others behaviour and learning stiles etc. • Colonisation – reverse assimilation www.idethandling.com

10. International students call for fusion • For some it's about linking control, respect and freedom in a new way: • ”I think they should finde a middleway between responsibility and freedom. More consequences but still a lot of self commitment. That will create better group work, and fewer drop-outs.” [the rest of the focus group nods] (international student) • “I do not think the Danes should change their system. You should preserve self-control but more respect of the teachers should be created.” (international student) www.idethandling.com

11. Preliminary recommendations (1) • Language Policy + consequence + screening • Explain explicit codes: what is teamwork; how to write reports • Fusion - how we maintain the best from DK and meet the foreign students, where they are? Rule / consequence + Foreign Teachers • ”If you are 10 minutes late you are not allowed in class but will have to wait for the next class.” www.idethandling.com

12. Preliminary recommendations (2) • Empower Intercultural Communication - especially the ability to explore + conflict management • Support social life - team building = a must • Conflict management - educate supervisors in intercultural conflict management • Support the students in assessment of the social contract + consequences • More than one semester's work www.idethandling.com