Two seminars for International & Dutch Master students
by Dr. Katerina Pouliasi
People tend to feel more comfortable with people that are similar to them. Life in multicultural environment, however, gives you an unique opportunity to gain insight into different cultures and orient yourself towards aquiring a ‘multicultural mind’.
These two seminars will help you benefit from this opportunity and to realise that:
Possesing a “multicultural mind”, is a 21st century skill!
It’s challenging! Turn frustration to fun and aquire the skill!
For whom
Those international students
* who sometimes feel uncomfortable with, or even in conflict with, aspects of individualist mainstream culture,
* who feel they come from a culture less individualist than the Dutch,
* who want to improve communication and avoid rejection when interacting with people from different cultures
(NB: the Dutch also need a ‘multicultural mind’ and are most welcome)
Seminar 1: Culture and Self-presentation: Communication or Rejection?
Content
- Introduction to visible and invisible features of culture
- Values behind diverging ‘ideal’ Selves
- The self in relation-to-others and expectations of these relationships
- Friendships or networks in personal and professional life?
- Testing your Self in various situations
Objectives
This seminar will help you to:
- Realise the influence of culture on self-ideals
- Identify in yourself aspects of your ‘own’ culture’s influence
- Sensitize you to recognize the influence of culture(s) on ‘other ideal’ Selves you deal with in the Netherlands
Duration The seminar lasts 1:30 hours and is interactive with the participants
To participate in either seminar Reigistration is required
To identify your cultural state fill in the on-line Questionnaire
Specifically for the content of these two seminars I have designed a questionnaire .
After registering you are provided the link to complete it. The comparative analysis of the answers are discussed during the seminar.
There is also possibility for individual analysis and consultation (by skype) after the seminar has taken place.
Seminar 2: Culture and Behavior in Organizational Settings
Cartoon from Thingsweforgetblogspot
Content
Culture in communication and persuasion style
Culture in treating friends and strangers
Are Individualist values in conflict with collectivist values (e.g., personal development, initiative vs loyalty, hierachy)?
Conscious and unconscious changes you go through because of ‘your new environment’
Testing your own reactions with case studies
Objectives
This seminar will help you to
- Realise the influence of culture on how people communicate and persuade other
- Evaluate the influence of your ‘own’ culture in how you behave towards friends or strangers in personal and professional setting
- Recognize impact of ‘new’ culture(s) in to what extent you adopt individualist values and how you may become multi-cultural
Duration
Each seminar lasts 45 -60 mins and is interactive with the participants.
Location, dates and Participation fee
These seminars are organised student’s associations. Participation fees are usually agreed for the whole group but the number of participants has to be up to certain number (no more than 20).
Location is arranged by the student’s association and dates in agreement with in2cultures
The two seminars were originally designed for international master students at TU Delft as an joined event by DISS (Delft International Students Society) and HSSN (Hellenic Student Society Netherlands).