1. Assessing the impact on intercultural competencies when engineering students solve problems in multicultural teams
Lars Peter Jensen, Associate Professor, Automation and Control, Aalborg University:
Linda Madsen, Pedagogical consultant, Copenhagen University College of Engineering:
Bjørn Nygaard, Chief consultant, anthropologist
Ideas2action:

2. Agenda
Introduction
Method
Objectives and results
Recommendations

3. Why is culture an issue? Establishment of international program
Future engineers will be working in a globalized world they need intercultural competencies
Curriculum is changing Students must develop both intercultural competencies and engineering qualifications

4. Definition of Intercultural Competences?
The desire for and ability to act and communicate constructively when meetings people from other cultures. In continuous relationship this can only be obtained by gaining knowledge about the other culture/cultures, the ability to explore the other culture one self, cultural self-insight, strong communication skills and a respectful attitude.
…the desire and ability to act and communicate
… the ability to explore the other culture
… cultural self-insight
… strong communication skills
… a respectful attitude

5. Project about internationalization
DACIN internationalization project 2009 – 2011
Results from SDU, VIA University College, IHK
3 engineering educations, where classes/teams of mixed Danish and foreign students work together in one semester
Project members from engineering educations, involved teachers, consultant Bjørn Nygaard and anthropology student Jonas Søgaard Green
The target group are foreign and danish students working together on projects in mixed teams.
Investigated question: Do cooperation between the two groups make a difference in development of intercultural competencies

6. Method Development of targets and success criteria
Questionnaire surveys (before and after): Not valid
Focus group interviews with 53 students and 8 teachers – app. 2/3 international and 1/3 Danish
Observations at IHK by Jonas Søgaard Green (Anthropology student)

7. Project objectives: increased intercultural competences
Short term effect:  
Dialogue on how to work together
Can manage conflict in groups
The students have established international / Danish network
Students seeking academic knowledge with one another across cultures and beyond Danish borders
Brainstorm

8. Project objectives: increased intercultural competences
Did we succeed ?  
Dialogue on how to work together only about rules and in DK terms
Can manage conflict in groups not very well
The students have established international / Danish network no
Students seeking academic knowledge with one another across cultures and beyond Danish borders no

9. Positive results of cultural encounter
Practice to work in multi cultural teams - they know this will be needed in future jobs; + on CV
A spice to life
Better English
More accurate in the formulations and makes use of multiple ways of explanation than usual
Foreign students: Learning to work in groups

10. Preliminary Conclusion on Intercultural Competences
Trend: groups that work best: only people from Northwest Europe/USA or have only one member from other countries
There ARE more knowledge about that culture can be a challenge and about learning and collaborative differences
Some still do not know how to deal with the challenges, while many others are in progress but still has some way to go
Intercultural competencies are strengthened but not sufficient
”It is now clear to me that working with people from other cultures is difficult but I have not yet found solutions.”

11. Recommendations
Language Policy with consequences if not followed. Better screening before acceptance of students
Explain explicit codes: what is teamwork; how to write reports
Go for Integration or Fusion: how do we maintain the best from DK and meet the foreign students, where they are? Make rules and consequences if they isn’t respected. Use foreign teachers
”If you are 10 minutes late you are
not allowed in class but will have to
wait for the next class.”
Det er et væsentligt element i den interkulturelle kompetence, at man lærer at håndtere disse. Men lykkes det ikke efterlader det de studerende i en både uddannelsesmæssig skrøbelig situation og i frustration over samarbejde på tværs af kulturer. Da en del studerende samtidig har givet udtryk for at de ikke oplever at få brugbar assistance fra underviserne på dette område, anbefales det, at der arbejdes med at etablere et. Det er alt andet lige sandsynligt, at dette kan forhindre nogen studerende fra at droppe ud af studiet.

12. Recommendations
Empower Intercultural Communication, especially the ability to explore other cultures and conflict management
Support social life and team building (a must)
Conflict management: educate supervisors in intercultural conflict management
Support the students in assessment of the social contract and set up consequences if it isn’t respected
More than one semester's work