"That's foreign to me!" - Cultural Diversity in Teaching

Contents:

Culture and identity shape our interactions—especially in everyday university life. At an educational institution like the University of Siegen, diverse perspectives, life paths, and personal histories enrich the exchange among colleagues, faculty, and students.
In teaching, advising, and collaboration, people with diverse biographical, social, and cultural experiences come together. This diversity is evident, for example, in background, differing perspectives, communication styles, and institutional approaches. The dynamics that accompany this are not always
immediately apparent, but they offer a valuable opportunity to reflect on one’s own professional conduct.
The focus is not on contrasting a supposed “self” with an “other,” but rather on engaging with transcultural dynamics, intersecting identities, and structural frameworks.
This training sharpens participants’ awareness of cultural diversity in teaching. We reflect on our own biases and preconceptions, learn helpful tools, and develop strategies for handling interactions with confidence and respect. The goal is to provide inspiration for a professional approach
with diversity and to strengthen communication within the university’s globally networked structure.

Learning Objectives:

• Deepen awareness of one’s own cultural roots, raise awareness,
and better understand cultural differences.
• Learn about helpful tools and methods for working in
intercultural contexts.
• Expand knowledge and skills in transcultural communication.
• Have communication tools at your disposal to professionally handle “unfamiliar” situations.

The workshop is aimed at faculty and staff who wish to critically examine their practices in dealing with diversity and make them more inclusive. Participants are invited to reflect on their own perspectives, consider institutional contexts, and expand their scope for action in a way that is sensitive to discrimination and reflective.