At the ZHAW International Evening 2021, we focused on the question of why we all have to think globally and act interculturally in order to successfully shape the future. This question also set the framework for the panel discussion, during which four panellists discussed and explored how those competences can be grown and expanded.

In five breakout sessions, participants were then able to focus on a variety of subjects, ranging from how to benefit from a diverse study environment and how to teach students an international mindset to the benefits offered by educational environments such as edX in making education digitally accessible for free worldwide.

Finally, Swiss comedian Charles Nguela reminded us that intercultural competences are not only important in professional contexts, but also in everyday life.

On the panel:

Nadia Rahim, CEO of itnetX and Head of Enterprise Consulting Services at Swisscom
Martin Hirzel, President of Swissmem and Chair of the international Advisory Board at the ZHAW School of Management and Law
Dr. Tim Tausendfreund, Lecturer at the ZHAW School of Social Work
Waseem Hussain, Head of ZHAW International Affairs Unit

Claudia Sedioli, Moderator, ZHAW

How to benefit from a diverse study environment: Successful group collaboration in an international classroom.
Prof. Petra Youngzie Barthelmess, ZHAW School of Management and Law
How to make the best out of a study year abroad. Susan Schärli-Lim, ZHAW School of Health Professions
How to manage culturally different styles in the business environment. Prof. Miryam Eser, ZHAW School of Social Work

Why all lecturers should put it on their agenda and what mindset they have to develop and pass on: The key concept is IoC – Internationalisation of the Curriculum. Colleagues from the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI) and Movetia, the Swiss National Agency for Exchange and Mobility, share their thoughts on opportunities and challenges.

Moderated by Prof. Patrick Studer, ZHAW School of Applied Linguistics in collaboration with Chiara Napolitano, SUPSI, Prof. Jacqueline Bürki, BFH, Maria Stergiou, Movetia, Dr. Danae Perez, ZHAW School of Applied Linguistics and Dr. Aisha Siddiqa, ZHAW School of Applied Linguistics

How lecturers can help their students to prepare for today’s globalized and ecologically challenged world by introducing new teaching concepts such as COIL into their courses. With Collaborative Online International Learning, lecturers easily enable students to discuss these challenges and develop solutions collaboratively with peers, for example from Singapore, South Africa, Japan or Mexico.

Best practice by Daniel von Felten and Dr. Claudine Gaibrois, COIL experts at ZHAW

How ZHAW food architects and researchers helped world famous techno musician Dieter Meier (Yello) capture the pure essences of the cacao bean for his high quality Swiss chocolate and how they are contributing their expertise to his soon to be opened chocolate and food factory.

Breakout session by Prof. Tilo Hühn, leader of the research project and food architect at the ZHAW

How to make education digitally accessible for free for students worldwide. The educational environment is called edX and ZHAW has taken on a leading role for Switzerland in a global network of renowned universities.

Dr. Minna Koponen and Florentina Gartmann, ZHAW digital education experts, explain how digital teaching and learning opportunities can be used successfully in an international context.

Charles Nguela, Swiss comedian, born in the Congo, later lived in South Africa before moving to Switzerland at the age of 14. He talks about how we should look at each other’s differences in an open and self-reflective way – in order to make way for personal growth.