Internationalisation at Home : A collection of pedagogical approaches to develop students’ intercultural competences

Abstract

The internationalisation of higher education has accelerated in recent years. Internationalisation at most higher education institutions mainly takes the form of study abroad. This immersion in an intercultural environment is believed to foster the development of academic and non-academic skills, thus improving graduates’ employability. Regardless of the geographical area, higher education institutions (HEI) have therefore put student mobility at the heart of their academic projects. However, the context has changed: the Covid-19 health crisis has led to a freezing of international mobility. Alternative solutions to traditional mobility must be found. With this book, we intend to contribute to reflections on how to develop intercultural sensitivity and intercultural competences among students through Internationalisation at Home. For this purpose, in the eight chapters of the book, we present some pedagogical methods that facilitate the creation of a context conducive to interculturality and the acquisition of plural skills by students at home. Some authors examine how these competences can be assessed. Finally, we propose a framework explaining how a combination of activities within an institution can foster the development of students’ intercultural competences. Regardless of the approaches chosen by the teachers observed, they answered similar questions. These questions set a framework for reflections on efficient approaches to supporting the development of students’ intercultural skills in an Internationalisation at Home context.