Multicultural and international competence (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

H-5

Content scheduling

The course will focus on the following themes:
- How does culture influence our thoughts and actions?
- What is multiculturalism?
- Why is multiculturalism important?
- What kind of multicultural competence do we seek?
- Multiculturalism at Turku University of Applied Sciences
- How do we act in a multicultural learning community?
- What is language awareness?
- Multilingualism and language awareness in the learning and working community
- What is a clear language?
- Supporting inclusion and anti-racism
- Equality and diversity in working life

The topics of the lectures included in the course will be specified before the start of the course.

Objective

- You develop your competence for the multicultural and international world of work.
- You understand the significance of multiculturalism in society and your own role and responsibility in promoting equity.
- You learn to communicate and find common ways of action in a multicultural group.
- You develop your language skills and the ability and courage to operate in a multilingual environment.
- You get to know the multicultural aspects of Turku and its increasingly international working life.
- You strengthen your own and others’ sense of belonging and becoming a part of a multicultural higher education community.

Content

In addition to the topics listed below, the course includes theoretical knowledge and contemplation tasks on the topics below, and workshops, expert lectures and events which explore the themes in more detail.

- The central phenomena and concepts related to multiculturalism.
- Preconceptions and the impact of cultural identity on our thinking and ways of action.
- The benefits of diversity, cultural and linguistic responsibility and antiracism.
- The importance of multiculturalism in the world of work and higher education.

Materials

The course material consists of the following:
- the itslearning course to be completed independently
- materials from the lectures, workshops and events/activities
- students' own final assignments

Teaching methods

The course consists of the following components:
- a kick-off meeting
- an itslearning course to be completed independently
- lectures (successful completion of the course requires participation in at least 3 lectures)
- workshops (successful completion of the course requires participation in at least 2 workshops)
- events (successful completion of the course requires participation in at least 3 events)
- a final meeting
- a final course assignment.

The course can be completed in full in English. The language of instruction is English, which means that the course materials and instructions, workshops and lectures are in English. Students can choose the language of study (English or Finnish) for the following course assignments:
- the itslearning course to be completed independently
- events and activities
- the final assignment

Exam schedules

The course does not include an exam.

International connections

The course will take place in a multicultural, multilingual and multidisciplinary group. The course is open to exchange students, but it is also available to all students of Turku UAS from Finland and abroad, regardless of their field of study and language of instruction. The course's pedagogical methods support students' networking and active collaboration. The course and the way it is implemented promote socially sustainable development.

Student workload

- the kick-off meeting, 2 h
- the itslearning course to be completed independently, 30 h
- familiarisation with the course implementation and timetable and preparation of study plan, 5-12 h
- lectures + reflection on learning (for successful completion of the course you must attend at least 3 lectures), 10-22 h
- workshops + reflection on what has been learnt (for successful completion of the course, participation in at least 2 workshops is required), 5-14 h
- events + reporting on them (for successful completion of the course, participation in at least 2 events is required), 8-22 h
- final meeting, 2 h
- final course assignment, 20 h
- final feedback on the course, 1 h

Further information

During the course, communication on issues related to studying and the learning assignments takes place with the message function in itslearning. It is recommended that students send the message jointly to both teachers of the course (Elli Sillanpää, Ana Kupri-Karenmaa).
Students can communicate with each other either with the targeted message function in itslearning or with the course's joint announcements function with the entire course group. The messages sent with the announcements function are automatically shown to all course participants.