1P00CZ89: International and multicultural competence (Blog-1)

Familiar with the internationalization strategies and practices of vocational and higher education.

Internationalism:-

Internationalism is a policy of cooperation among nations. There are four theories of internationalism, such as democratic, liberal, nationalist, and socialist, that describe the concept of international relations, cause of war, peace, and order. I realize that all the theories and practices indicate global harmony among the parties, people, and classes, for example, democratic thought identifies the natural freedom of people abolishing monarchic sovereignty.

On the other hand, liberal internationalism indicates fraternity, equality, and freedom. It instructs the universal principles to overcome all the national loyalties and global relational transformation. Furthermore, nationalist thought advises that all the countries create their value and work for collective humanity since nationalism and humankind are not distinct and contradictory, e.g., Europe. In contrast, socialist internationalism signifies the universal nature of social freedom to unite working people of all countries as the manifesto of communism being against the global organization of capitalism and the elimination of private ownership. In conclusion, I notice that liberalist, nationalist, socialist, and democratic theorists, think about future international relations to have a closer interdependent among the states and countries without the division of humanity. However, international relations are necessary for national sovereignties.

Multiculturalism:-

Multiculturalism indicates a society with cultural diversity. I believe that it conserves respect and encourages cultural diversity with peaceful coexistence like a flower garden with different types of flowers to enhance the beauty of a garden. In the context of political philosophy, it is a policy of dealing with different cultural equality at the national and community level. In the social context, the entire society takes benefits from cultural diversity. My observation is that multiculturalism is the wide-ranging national community that can build in two ways, such as immigration or artificial legislative decree, for example, Canada and French. Multicultural supporters argue that people should have their own traditional culture, while opponents state that multiculturalism threatens the social order due to several cultural identities. However, there are two theories, such as a Melting Pot and a Salad Bowl to explain multiculturalism in the socio-political context. The Melting method indicates multiculturalism, like steel, which is made by melting iron and carbon. It specifies the assimilation of different cultures to create new ones losing their traditions.

On the contrary, the Salad Bowl theory indicates a heterogeneous society where people will coexist but retain their own unique culture and traditions like salad ingredients. For example, New York City belongs to Little India, Chinatown, and little Odessa in the USA. The criticism is that it divides society with discrimination and prejudice since multiculturalism indicates the different races, religions, ethnicities, philosophies, thoughts, values, and nationalities in the same community with their language, behaviors, traditions, and art.

From the above explanations, I realize that theoretically and practically, there are two phenomena of society, such as internationalism and multiculturalism, but that differences are not absolute since both are substitutes for each other. For example, multiculturalism should be considered when multicultural students coexist in the same classroom. Besides, multiculturalism might have different circumstances, such as inside and outside the nation. Inside the country indicates localized multiculturalism, while internationalized multiculturalism belongs outside the country. Thus, I describe the multicultural experiences below as a whole.

Activities my school provides for students and faculty

My university is committed to nurturing a dynamic and fulfilling setting for students and teachers alike, through a variety of activities. Students can choose from clubs, sports, local events, or community engagements for personal development and active involvement in society. For the faculty, there are opportunities for professional development, co-research projects, and an encouraging scholarly community. In terms of globalizing strategies in both vocational and advanced studies, our institution values worldwide viewpoints. Exchange programs, global partnerships, and seminars by distinguished scholars are key. What's more, our syllabus includes elements from diverse cultures, readying students with a broad perspective and the skillset required to flourish in a globally interconnected community.

Furthermore, my institution facilitates communication and information-sharing through the MESSI intranet system (https://www.uwasa.fi/messi/fi), serving as a dedicated platform for both teachers and students. Faculty members can utilize MESSI to access a plethora of information, including research opportunities. Additionally, the platform enables faculty to share their own research achievements and project updates, fostering a collaborative and transparent environment within the academic community.

References:-

• Robert, L. (2019). What is multiculturalism? Definition, Theories, and Examples [Online], Available at https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-multiculturalism-4689285 (Accessed on 14.11.2019).

• Lusio, L (1991). What is internationalism? [Online]. Available at http://www.thefederalist.eu/site/index.php/en/essays/1899-what-is-internationalism (Accessed on 16.11.2019)

• Katie, R. (2019) 13 benefits and challenges of cultural diversity in the workplace [Online], Available at https://www.hult.edu/blog/benefits-challenges-cultural-diversity-workplace/ (Accessed on 16.11.2019)

• Zimmermann, Kristin (2010), Intercultural competence as a success factor of virtual multicultural teams: A case study on the team effeteness of Global HR Teams [Online], Available at https://jyx.jyu.fi/bitstream/handle/123456789/24874/1/URN%3ANBN%3Afi%3Ajyu-201008162469.pdf (Accessed on 12.11.2019)