Intercultural Engagement
Professionals who actively build relationships with people and organizations from diverse identity groups are open to putting themselves in unfamiliar situations, asking questions to clarify understanding, and reflecting on any discomfort that may arise from being around diversity.
Professionals who can work in culturally diverse groups are often more adaptable and flexible in their approach to work. They are better able to navigate different cultural norms and customs, which can help them to adjust to new environments and work effectively in different contexts.
Recognizing and responding to myths and misconceptions will help you support equitable, diverse, and inclusive spaces in your academic and professional work.
A commitment to the continuous process of cultural competence and cultural humility will support your ability to work effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds. This requires not only knowledge of different cultural norms, values, and practices, but also the ability to reflect on one’s own assumptions and biases and to adapt one’s behaviour and communication style accordingly.
Intercultural engagement skills refer to the ability to work effectively with diverse teams and bridge cultural differences in professional settings. These skills are important in leveraging a degree beyond academia as they can help individuals succeed in a globalized and diverse work environment.
The following resources are intended for use by instructors to support students in articulating and building their intercultural engagement skills.
Self-Assessment
Self-assessment handouts and examples of feedback on student evidence.
Guides and Resources
Instructor materials that can be adapted for diverse contexts.
Campus Workshops
Connect with campus workshops to support student competencies.
ePortfolio
Find out how students can use ePortfolios to collect evidence of competence and how instructors can provide feedback within the ePortfolio.