Becoming
an Intercultural Diversity Ambassador
By James Wakahiu
Becoming
an Intercultural Diversity Ambassador (BIDA) is a joint partnership among Hochschule
Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, University of Applied Sciences (H-BRS), Germany,
Mount Kenya University (MKU), Kenya, the Institute of Finance Management
(IFM), Tanzania and the University of Zambia which
is meant to engage selected students on diversity management. The objective of
BIDA is to increase diversity and inclusion awareness amongst the participating
students under the Erasmus+ Programme KA171. The Erasmus+ funded project which kicked off on 7th September 2022 is expected to run until June 2023.
This
year MKU has hosted the German-BIDA delegates after their tour in Tanzania
A team
of seven (7) students and three (3) staff
members from H-BRS arrived at MKU for the Spring School in
Kenya from IFM, Tanzania on Sunday, 26th February 2023. The team from H-BRS was
hosted by MKU for one week starting 26th February 2023 to 4th March 2023. Both
the students from MKU and H-BRS participated in joint group work activities and
field trips to Mully Children’s Home, Delmonte Kenya, and the United Nations
Campus as they drew experiences of Diversity Management from the different
institutions that they visited.
Photo/
The
Spring School culminated with presentations on progress made on each of the
BIDA group work assignments. The BIDA groups; Yellow Manjano, Blue
Aces, Ubuntu Red, and Ubuntu Green were constituted during the
online phase of the course that took place on 4th , 5th and 26th November 2022, where each group chose a diversity dimension which they were to compare and contrast how the
selected dimension was highlighted within their own country and institution,
what barriers exist and what measures are taken to encourage equity and
inclusion. The diversity dimensions discussed during the group presentations
were religion, age, and gender.
The students
and participating staff from MKU, IFM, and the University of Zambia will visit H-BRS
for the last part of the course, Summer School, and the
students will participate in joint courses, workshops, and field trips, with the
hosting students supporting the visiting students. The project groups continue
to work together virtually on their respective assignments.
Photo/
The
desired impact of this course for the students is to develop and enhance both
transversal skills (intercultural, problem-solving, critical thinking,
communication, and future skills (digital, inclusion, civic engagement among others
. This will enable the students to tackle future work challenges in a
global, intercultural, and inclusive world and further their personal
development and self-confidence.
1. The blended mobility
approach will expose students to different viewpoints, knowledge, and teaching
methods.
2. It will help them to
learn to adapt to new situations and to work in diverse teams developing their
coping strategies for any challenges that may occur. One key element is to
increase the awareness of privilege and the barriers that exist that prevent
inclusion and how these can be removed.
3. It will also help to
increase future employment opportunities as students who have taken part in
institutionalized mobility often have an easier entry into the labor market,
with better jobs and higher responsibilities compared with their ‘sedentary’
peers. Students will be granted Certificates for their participation in this course.
www.themountainjournal.co.ke
