Internationalising the Curriculum: at home or far away? Making connections through a holistic approach based on inclusivity Viv Caruana and Jane Hanstock

1
Internationalising the Curriculum at home or far
away? Making connections through a holistic
approach based on inclusivityViv Caruana and
Jane Hanstock
11 September 2005
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Internationalisation Initial forays

• prepare students for careers that will be in
  the global economy and to enrich the wider
  student experience by integrating the knowledge
  and experience of our international students
• (UoS, 2004)
• HOW TO CONCRETIZE POLICY?
• HOW TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN RHETORIC AND
  PRACTICE?

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Internationalisation Initial forays

• Alternative approaches to internationalisation
• Ethos internationalisation by osmosis
  (Martin, 2000)
• Activity/mobility the means towards goals that
  are often left fuzzy (Green, 2002)
• Content Uniformity predominating over sense of
  own, other and diversity in cultural terms
  (de Wit, 1997)
• Graduate attributes or competency Issues of
  cohesion and dominant cultural literacy
  (MacKinnon and Manathunga, 2003)
• Infusion curriculum as another bag of
  content? (De Vita and Case, 2003)

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Equality and Diversity at home,
internationalisation far away?

• valuing diversity in the context of the
  Enterprising University
• curriculum and learning opportunities which
  are racially and culturally sensitive and aware

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Equality and Diversity at home,
internationalisation far away?

• an environment in which a diversity of
  backgrounds and experiences are valued
• The delivery of programmes should take into
  account the needs of the diverse student body or,
  where appropriate, be adapted to accommodate
  their individual requirements
• (UoS, 2005 2002)

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Equality and Diversity at home,
internationalisation far away?

• Internationalisation experiencing diversity
  outside the nation state
• Ethnic diversity policies aim to take advantage
  of the diversity that already exists within a
  nation state
• (Stier, 2002)
• Separation underpins traditional emphasis on
  international mobility which in turn, reinforces
  the myth that a country has a homogenous culture
• (Teekens, 2005 Liddicoat, 2004)

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An integrated approach to internationalisation
and ethnic diversity

• Common goals, different rationales
• Linking the international and the intercultural
  through Internationalisation at Home (IaH)
• The inclusive curriculum deficit driven,
  paternalistic and assimilationist OR
  promoting reciprocity, dissolving difference
  and valuing difference
• (Stier, 2003 Teekens 2005 Frame and OConnor,
  2002)

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Professional Development for Internationalisation
based on Inclusivity The Challenges

• The developmental continuum

Relational participation Fostering cultural
production Confronting homogenisation New forms
of transcultural experience
Technical observance More international students
and staff Add-on Remedial support
HOW?
(Adapted from McTaggart, 2003)
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Professional Development for Internationalisation
based on Inclusivity The Challenges

• Exploding the myths associated with
  internationalisation
• Understanding the ways in which our own culture
  and language influences our actions, beliefs,
  reactions and values
• Acquiring the international mindset
• (Leask, 2000 Paige, 1993 Rizvi, 2000)

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Professional Development for Internationalisation
based on Inclusivity Assumptions

• Wealth of good practice internationally
• Avoid prescription
• Internationalising curricula as an intentional
  approach to curriculum design and delivery that
  values cultural diversity
• Engaging internationalisation as an idea rather
  than as a set of best practices
• Working with faculties
• The programme of study is the appropriate unit of
  analysis
• Engaging the concept of internationalisation
  /intercultural learning at a number of discrete
  levels vis-à-vis the teacher as learner and
  perception of self

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Professional Development for Internationalisation
based on Inclusivity The Possibilities

• Locating culture
• Who is the international educator?
• From people to discipline
• How intercultural is the existing curriculum?
• Constructing the intercultural learning
  experience
• Continuing professional support

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References

• Caruana, V. and Hanstock, J. (2003)
  Internationalising the Curriculum From Policy to
  Practice, Proceedings Education in a Changing
  Environment University of Salford, 18-18
  September
• De Vita, G. and Case, P. (2003) Rethinking the
  Internationalisation Agenda in UK Higher
  Education, Journal of Further and Higher
  Education 27(4)
• De Wit, H. (1997) Rationales for the
  Internationalisation of Higher Education
  available at http//www.ipv.pt/millenium/wit11.htm
  
• Frame, P. and OConnor, J. (2002) From the high
  ground of policy to the swamp of professional
  practice the challenge of diversity in teaching
  labour studies Labour Studies in Transition,
  33(2)278-292

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References

• Green, M.F., (2002) Address to Panel Session in
  International Association of Universities,
  International Conference on Internationalisation
  of Higher Education Policy and Practice,
  Lyon-Rhone-Alpes, France, 12-13 April.
• Leask, B., (2000) Internationalisation Changing
  Contexts and their Implications for Teaching,
  Learning and Assessment in Flexible Learning for
  a Flexible Society ASET-HERDSA Conference,
  University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, 2-5
  July.
• Liddicoat, A. (2004) Internationalisation as
  education, Paper presented at seminar on The
  Intercultural in teaching and Learning,
  University of South Australia, 21 June

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References

• MacKinnon, D., and Manathunga, C., (2003) Going
  Global with Assessment What to do when the
  dominant cultures literacy drives Assessment,
  Higher Education Research and Development, 22(2),
  pp.131-144.
• Martin, K., (2000) Internationalisation what
  does it mean for the curriculum available at
  http//www.csd.uwa.edu.au/newsletter/issue0500
• McTaggart, Prof. R. Internationalisation of the
  Curriculum A Discussion Paper available at
  http//www.jcu.edu.au/office/tld/teachingsupport/d
  ocuments/International_Curriculum-AB.pdf

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References

• Paige, R. M. (1993) On the nature of
  intercultural experiences and intercultural
  education in Paige, R. M. (ed) Education for the
  Intercultural Experience, Yarmouth, Maine
  Intercultural Press
• Rizvi, F. (2000) Internationalisation of
  Curriculum Melbourne, RMIT University available
  at http//www.pvci.rmit.edu.au/ioc/back/icpfr.pdf
• Stier, J. (2003) Internationalisation, Ethnic
  Diversity and the Acquisition of Intercultural
  Competence, Intercultural Education, 14(1)
• Stier, J. (2002) Internationalisation in higher
  education unexplored possibilities and
  unavoidable challenges European Conference on
  Educational Research, 11-14 September, Lisbon,
  available at http//www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documen
  ts/00002342.htm

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References

• Teekens, H. (2005) Internationalisation at Home
  a background paper, International Conference,
  9-10 May, Rotterdam
• University of Salford (2005) Policy on Race
  Equality
• University of Salford (2004) The Strategic
  Framework, Building the Enterprising University,
  2004/2005
• University of Salford (2002) Code of Practice on
  Equality and Diversity Students