Intercultural Communication Institute

One oft-stated goal of higher education is to matriculate globally competent students, yet many institutions currently address this goal simply through the requirement of an international course or through a student’s education-abroad experience. Higher education leaders can benefit from taking a more in-depth look at what is involved in this complex concept. This workshop will offer a substantial exploration of what comprises global or intercultural competence and the paths to developing and assessing intercultural competence on a college campus.

Designed for
Post-secondary administrators, faculty, deans, provosts, student affairs staff, and others involved in higher education.

Review key theories and concepts related to intercultural competence, including an intercultural competence model that can be used to frame campus and programmatic efforts
Explore and analyze current practices in higher education designed to develop and assess students’ intercultural competence
Identify and develop practical strategies for infusing intercultural competence into campus and programmatic efforts

Learning Activities
Structured learning experiences addressing different learning styles will include:

Brief lectures and group discussions to clarify concepts and applications
Participant design and development of program-specific strategies that address students’ intercultural competence development
Participant presentations on strategic plans to integrate intercultural competence into a campus program or curriculum
Interactive activities and exercises that illustrate concepts and applications

Faculty: Darla Deardorff

Dr. Darla K. Deardorff is the executive director of the Association of International Education Administrators, a national professional organization headquartered at Duke University. She has held several national leadership positions with NAFSA: Association of International Educators and with the Forum on Education Abroad. Darla has lived and taught abroad and currently teaches cross-cultural courses at Duke University, as well as graduate courses at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State. She has conducted cross-cultural training for universities, companies, and nonprofit organizations for the past fifteen years and has given invited talks at national and international conferences, including conferences in Mexico, Germany, and Japan. In addition, Darla has published numerous book chapters and articles on intercultural competence and assessment. Her intercultural competence models are used worldwide in a variety of institutions and programs. She is editor of the forthcoming Sage Handbook of Intercultural Competence.