INTERCULTURAL WORKSHOPS PREPARING HUMBER STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF FOR A MORE GLOBALIZED WORLD
Students participate in the intercultural workshops with their peers internationally in a virtual setting.
November 24, 2020
The post-secondary graduates of today require intercultural skills more than ever, as the world continues to become more connected and globalized. In response to this demand, Humber’s International Centre has implemented the Intercultural Development Series of workshops that will help students, staff, and faculty further enhance these skills.
The series provides opportunities for participants to build intercultural skills and knowledge essential for fostering equitable, diverse and inclusive communities around the world.
MULTIPLE WORKSHOPS, STREAMS TO CHOOSE FROM
Launched earlier this month, the initiative features between three and five workshops every month throughout the academic year. Organized by Humber’s International Centre, the workshops are facilitated in collaboration with other Humber departments, student ambassadors and student groups, community leaders, and global partner institutions.
Each workshop is designed with specific participants in mind. Some are open to Humber students and students from partner institutions, while others are available to faculty and staff members.
The series cover three main streams; Intercultural Development, Professional Development, and Cultural Activities. The latter will be led by student leaders on the Cultural Connectors team. The variety of streams offer participants the chance to learn further about intercultural topics that are relevant to their personal growth. Workshops will allow participants to develop an understanding of the spectrum of identity, gain awareness of implicit bias, and contribution to meaningful community engagement in a culturally diverse and interdependent world.
By the end of the series, participants are not only better equipped for a global and culturally diverse environment, but also reap other benefits such as having a touchpoint with various Humber departments, connecting and networking with other students, staff, faculty, community organizers, leaders, and subject-matter experts.
Humber student Annick Read participated in one of the first workshops. “The intercultural training, I received was incredibly informative and had me reflect on current events,” she said. Annick is a student in the Early Childhood Education program in the Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellness.
“It really opened my eyes to many cultures other than my own which I am unfamiliar with. I gained a new perspective on understanding and respect. With the field I am in, Early Childhood Education, I am constantly working with people from different backgrounds. These workshops taught me to connect in new ways and create a space of inclusion with those I work with,” said Read.
DEVELOPING PARTICIPANTS INTO GLOBAL CITIZENS
The Intercultural Development Series Workshop is a step further for Humber to continue its mission of developing global citizens with the knowledge and skills to lead and innovate.
The initiative fulfills all four pillars of Humber’s Internationalization Strategy with a particular focus on providing opportunities for the Humber community to contribute and be engaged in global learning.
Each workshop is also aligned to the Humber Learning Outcomes and the Humber Strategic Plan of creating career-ready citizens, providing accessible education, and contributing to a healthy and inclusive community.
“Connecting the Humber community to global learning and engagement initiatives is at the core of everything we do,” said Rebecca Trautwein, Manager, Global Learning and Engagement at Humber College.
“Every interaction is intercultural! It is a key competence for anyone interacting in a diverse environment, whether at home or abroad. This series is an opportunity to increase intercultural capacity through theoretically grounded, professionally relevant, and interactive programming.”
To find out more about the Intercultural Development Series and register for an upcoming workshop please visit