Towards a monocultural or a multicultural mind?

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

rnw_work_together_why-300x222
Working together but socialising separately! WHY?
  • 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

Conflict AVIADGIL2
A matter of balance / Conflict chair by Aviad Gil

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

YouGoFirst 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


 

Isow facebook event
Poster by ISOW in Wagnenigen University

 

Seminar1 Delft
Presented by IamExpat.nl

 

hssn diss in2cultures
Poster by DISS & HSSN at TU Delft

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).