The Next Buddha may be a Community: Practising Intercultural Competence at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia

ISBN-13: 9781443830119 / Twarda / 2011 / 140 str.

Sabine Krajewski

Opis

The whole world is talking about globalisation and there are so many versions of it that one might as well not talk about it at all. The word has permeated all areas of the public sphere and can have negative or positive connotations, depending on the context of relevant discourse. In education, globalisation is associated with mobility of staff and students, with internationalization of degrees, course content, research, and with global career opportunities for university graduates. High numbers of international students are perceived as an asset to universities around the world, in economical, political, and cultural terms. One of the advantages for all students, domestic and international, is the opportunity to meet people from across the globe and to exchange views and learning styles as well as establishing links for future professional work. Universities advertise that graduates will leave their Alma Mater as well rounded, interculturally competent people who are ready to be employed in international contexts.This book sets out to explore what internationalization in education really looks like. In the case study of an Australian university, the author investigates the opinions of staff and students in terms of what intercultural competence actually means, how it can be achieved and enhanced and if it should be measured. This study provides an insight into practical approaches towards internationalization and points out where more support is needed to successfully implement and foster cultural intelligence in educational settings. The case study is embedded in discussions about multiculturalism in Australia and elsewhere, the importance of foreign languages as part of intercultural competence and the notion of friendship.This book will appeal to academics and researchers who are interested in cultural intelligence/intercultural competence and how it can be supported in educational settings, as well as to everyone who is working in fields where people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds come together – which is just about everywhere in the world.