Creating an international curriculum: why and how?

Today’s globally interconnected world offers a vast array of new opportunities, but it has simultaneously created a need for greater intercultural understanding (Koehne, 2006). The current rise of internationalisation policy and strategy suggests that HEIs recognise the part they need to play to enable graduates to operate effectively in the 21st century (Bremer & Van-der-Wende, 1995; Knight & Yorke, 2003; Shiel, 2006) Whilst it is would be irresponsible to ignore the challenges posed by internationalisation, it is also important to recognise that it provides a rich source of opportunity (Magne, 2014). For example an internationalised curriculum may: help to educate students who have had limited exposure to travel and other cultures; attract international students (and more importantly keep them); appeal to those with ambitions to work in multi-national settings; and equip graduates to function effectively in a global society (ibid). Taking the word curriculum in its widest sense (Pegg, 2013) this workshop will introduce participants to examples of international initiatives including pedagogic approaches, classroom activities, extra-curricula opportunities, and research partnerships. It will then invite participants to: highlight elements of their existing programmes or policy which might be considered international; identify where there are further opportunities for internationalisation; and develop activities, strategies or ideas around internationalisation to enrich practice in their own programmes and institutions