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Globalization and multiculturalization have become essential components of our life and work environment. As a consequence, misunderstandings occur and make intercultural know-how necessary. As intercultural learning is facilitated systematically through intercultural training, we at IKUD devote special attention to the following fields of activity:
Intercultural Education as Sensitization, Orientation, and Acquisition of Competencies
Intercultural learning includes sensitization, orientation, and implementation of intercultural competencies. Sensitization refers to both the development of awareness of cultural aspects which affect human behavior and to the improvement of perceptiveness regarding cultural similarities and differences. Successful sensitization results in the possibility for learning and mutually beneficial cooperation. Orientation refers to practical and theoretical knowledge: knowledge about the country and its people, sources of information and references, knowledge of culture and communication theories, attitudes and values, and knowledge necessary for continued education (e.g. online). The concept of competence refers to abilities, behaviors, and “know-how”. Like other abilities, intercultural competence consists of
- Practical competence (e.g. everyday competence or strategic cultural competence)
- Social competence (e.g. empathy, communicative competence, expressiveness, or intercultural teamwork skills), and
- Self competence (e.g. cultural self-reflection and the ability to acclimate to new intercultural contexts).
While intercultural competence and intercultural orientation can be learned and acquired in the medium term, the development of an “intercultural identity” is a long-term learning process.
The Function of Intercultural Training
Most of all, intercultural training is conducive to skills development: skills in dealing with people from different cultures, with expatriates, immigrants but also appropriate behavior in foreign countries, and in other intercultural contexts (i.e. international conferences). Intercultural training also has an impact on cultural learning, specifically on the awareness of one’s own cultural imprint and identity. Intercultural training also includes transcultural education. These are situations in which we work with people of other cultural backgrounds on new types of culture.
Target Groups for Intercultural Training
- People who work in a foreign country in a business context (e.g. foreign aid workers, specialists, managers, consultants, those in the armed forces),
- People who, for personal reasons, spend a lot of time in foreign countries (e.g. because of family members or as tourists),
- People working with cultural exchange programs (e.g. students, interns, artists, scientists),
- People who advise and consult expatriates and visitors (e.g. students, migrants, tourists), and
- People who are involved with employees of businesses operating on the international level (e.g. in multinational companies, international organizations, religious communities, or other institutions).
What We Offer
Sensitization to culture and cultural self-reflection serve as essential basic skills. Developing action-oriented strategies tailored to specific countries and regions enable appropriate interrelation between people who were socialized in different cultures. These skills can be acquired and strengthened by means of the following:
- Seminars - Small groups (up to 15 participants) work on the development and implementation of knowledge gained during the seminar
- Workshops - Moderated training courses in which participants acquire the theoretical fundamentals which enable further development of their own concepts, approaches, and activities
- Training - Exercises customized to target groups with the goal of improving intercultural skills
- Lectures – Concrete and comprehensive talks on a specific topic
- Consultation - After a thorough needs assessment, problem-solving strategies on a cultural and business level are developed and implemented as a team
- Coaching - Individuals or groups are counseled and supported according to their special needs
Over the course of years, IKUD Seminars developed and honed “building blocks” (modules) for intercultural education. Customized training activities were designed using these elements.
Parts of these “building blocks” (modules) are exercises focusing on:
- Experience with cultural contrasts,
- Cultural self-awareness (e.g., self-observation and self-exploration),
- Cultural awareness of others,
- Experience with intercultural interactions,
- Transcultural experience.
Specific methods we use include:
- Intercultural case studies (e.g. analysis of critical incidents, “culture assimilator”, or incident reconstructions using multiple perspectives),
- Intercultural exploration (as real, audio-visual, or simulated explorations),
- Complex simulations (e.g. role-play, intercultural interaction games, the Five Cultures Game, etc.), and
- Exercises training various types of intercultural communication (perception exercises, alienation exercises, etc.).
Additionally, these practical exercises are:
- introduced with a short theoretical explanation about the practical application of the exercises
- supplemented with country and culture specific sources of information (including websites), and
- supplemented with instructions on additional training possibilities, especially for specific countries and cultures.
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