International
Cultural Competence Institute
The
Institute (ICCI) was developed by various campus community members
to address faculty and staff development in support of EMU's institutional
global and multicultural aspirations. The first Institute was
launched in the summer of 2002 and was a spectacular success with
an energetic and committed group of participants and program providers
who came from a variety of academic and service areas of the university.
From the beginning, the World College coordinated the Institute.
After the first year, it was decided that a World College Fellow
(chosen from prior year participants) should chair the planning
committee for each prospective year Institute. The chairs have
included Jean Bush-Bacelis (Management), Dibya Choudhuri (Leadership
and Counseling), and Diana Wong (College of Business).
Goals
The aim of the Institute is to provide a comprehensive and integrated
venue for faculty and staff development in international cultural
competence. The intent is to enable the internationalization of
academic and service components of the university to create a
multiculturally vibrant campus. Participants in the Institute
derive skills and a knowledge base applicable in any disciplinary
and professional area, to the effective use of intercultural/international
issues in classes, programs, research, service, and student-support/campus-life
activities. Program developers and providers have a wide range
of expertise and background with strong commitments to the development
of cross-cultural understanding, knowledge, and skills. The program
is also carefully designed to provide a highly interactive experience
to grapple with these issues. Unique among such program offerings,
concurrent faculty and staff participation is invited to provide
rich opportunities for different constituencies and units to network.
Letter
to the EMU Community from 2006 ICCI Chair, Dibya Choudhuri
March
6, 2006
Dear
Colleagues
I would like you to know about an upcoming opportunity. This spring,
we are offering for the fifth year, the International Cultural
Competence Institute (June 5th to 9th 2006), a week long immersion
experience designed to raise awareness, increase knowledge, and
develop skills among participants. Unique among such institutes,
participants are drawn from faculty, staff, and administrators
to enhance the development of networks and support systems that
participants can use when they go back to their units.
Previous participants have been enthusiastic and gone on to become
effective and passionate proponents of internationalization of
the campus. Faculty participants have developed interdisciplinary
courses, collaborating across departments and colleges; developed
courses that take students to international locations; enhanced
the international content of the courses they currently teach;
and entered into dynamic partnerships with other faculty and staff
to put on international programs, develop proposals, provide resources.
Staff and administrators have gone on to develop professional
development opportunities for their colleagues, trainings for
student workers, become active with campus programs that work
with international issues, and collaborate with faculty on film
series, programs, and developing resources.
Participants have said about their experience and learning in
ICCI:
“I have learned to see cultural competence more fully
as a process, a journey rather than a destination. That our differences
are deeper that our skin, dress and, language.”
“I have learned to see clearly and deeply in the infinite
variety of culture and cultural mixtures that we live with everyday.”
“[I have learned the] impact of being “the other”
in different contexts”
“I will look at the whole picture- not just stop and look
at one small piece. I have to stop and take in what is different
and what is the same and work from there.”
“I gained a better understanding of EMU’s climate and
cultural competence from this microcosm of EMU community…what
our international students experience while here, and meeting
faculty, staff, walking into buildings, going through admission,
etc.”
“[I need] To re-examine my department /college”.
I urge you to consider being a part of this experience, bringing
your interests and knowledge to the table. If you know of others
who might be interested or benefit from this Institute, please
consider passing this on. I have attached the forms for faculty
and staff to apply with a deadline of April 7, 2006. If you have
any questions or concerns that you would like to explore before
you make a decision, please contact me: dibya.choudhuri@emich.edu
Sincerely
Dibya
Choudhuri (Chair, ICCI 2006)
MS
Word Application Form for the 2006 International Cultural Competence
Institute
