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Course presentation
This course is designed to enhance your ability to communicate and work effectively and appropriately across cultural boundaries - a critical skill in today's globalised engineering landscape. You'll embark on a journey that will deepen your appreciation of cultural diversity and refine your approach to international collaboration. By combining theoretical knowledge with practical application, you'll learn to navigate and leverage the complexities of intercultural interactions. This experience is designed to enhance your personal and professional development and equip you with the intercultural competence needed to thrive in diverse teams and projects.
This course is the first step in KTH's Certificate of Global Competence (CGC). The second step consists of exchange studies or equivalent, and the third and final of the course LS2600 Global Competence. If you are not looking to gain the certificate, but still want to improve your global competence, you are welcome to only take this course, which can be taken within the framework of optional credits, and is elective for all students.
To obtain the certificate, this course must be completed before the start of the exchange studies, but can otherwise be taken at any time during the programme, and is open to all students at KTH.
International students wishing to obtain the certificate may take this course in the beginning of their stay at KTH and then continue with the second course, their time in Sweden being the equivalent of Swedish students' exchange studies abroad.
Headings denoted with an asterisk ( * ) is retrieved from the course syllabus version Autumn 2020
Content and learning outcomes
Course contents
With concrete examples and problem-based inductive learning, the course introduces the theoretical models needed for efficient reflection on, and analysis of, intercultural situations, communication and teamwork.
The course provides opportunities to learn and practice, individually and in groups, various practical methods for working constructively, creatively and ethically with personal and cultural variation and diversity, as well as for handling critical intercultural situations.
The course contributes to an increased level of self-awareness and understanding of important issues such as identity, stereotypes, norms and behavioral patterns.
During the course, we will examine roles and expectations, relevant to the student's specific profession, that may exist in different countries, companies and workplaces, and discuss what consequences this may have in, e.g., multi-disciplinary and international projects.
We discuss, how inter-cultural skills are linked to the common values for KTH Royal Institute of Technology and other universities and organisations, to global citizenship and to sustainable development.
The course also covers emotional aspects of international teamwork, living and working abroad as well as returning to your country.
Documentation, reflection and accounting of intercultural experiences and learning are brought up as a step towards personal development and future employability.
The course is given in English and makes use of the fact that KTH has students with different backgrounds at all levels.
Intended learning outcomes
After passing the course, you are expected as student be able to:
• Show an understanding, grounded in personal experience, of how personal and cultural variation and diversity influence understanding, emotions, decision-making, communication and teamwork.
• Problematise your own and others' descriptions of culture and identifications based on, for example, gender, nationality, ethnicity, class, age, language and profession.
• Give personal examples of knowledge, skills and attitudes that support and develop intercultural competence.
• Use simple and efficient methods to observe, analyse and work constructively, creatively and ethically with personal and cultural variation.
• Reflect on critical intercultural incidents in a constructive and solution-oriented way.
• Systematically document, reflect on, and give accounts of intercultural experiences and learning.
• Present a personal action plan, grounded in self-awareness, for your continued personal development towards increased intercultural competence.
Detailed plan
Activity type and deadlines
Main focus
Welcome module
Get familiar with the course content and structure. Introduce yourself in "Tell us about yourself" section.
course structure and literature
examination requirements
self-introduction
Introduction to Intercultural Competence March 21 - April 3
Webinar 1. Introduction to IC. Part 1 March 21, 17:00 - 19:00
What is Intercultural Competence
Culture and Identity
Perception and cultural relativity
Intro to Individual Assignment 1
Webinar 2. Introduction to IC. Part 2 + Life Advisor Challenge Intro March 28, 17:00 - 19:00
LEXA - Continuous Assessment, 4.5 credits, Grading scale: P, F
Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.
The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.
Continuous examination.
Under certain circumstances, other examination forms may be used.
The section below is not retrieved from the course syllabus:
In order to Pass you should complete the following:
Presence and active participation in the course webinars
Individual Assignment 1. My perception of self vs. how others see me
Individual/Group Assignment 2. “Find a life advisor” Challenge
Individual Assignment 3. Personal Action Plan
Discussion Forum Questions (weekly mandatory questions to answer and to comment on in Canvas Discussion Forum within the deadlines set in Canvas)
Deadlines and specific detailed requirements for “Pass” grade are presented in Canvas in instructions for each assignment. If you have further questions in relation to the course grading system, feel free to contact us.
Other requirements for final grade
All examination parts passed.
Ethical approach
All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.
