FAQ: How do you help institutions develop intercultural capacity?

There’s a question I get asked quite frequently that always surprises me: Do you work with institutions?

The question often comes from educators who have heard me speak at conferences, or who have perhaps read my newsletter and are familiar with the online professional development programs I offer for educators (Facilitating Intercultural Learning and Navigating Cultural Differences). So I guess perhaps it’s understandable they might think that’s all I do.

But the answer to the question is a resounding YES! The bulk of my work is actually with colleges, universities, and other educational or ed-adjacent organizations, designing and facilitating customized professional development programs for their faculty, staff, or employees.

Another question I’m asked even more often (sometimes in follow-up to the previous question) is this: How do you work with institutions? What might that look like?

So I'm answering that question here.

The reason I founded True North Intercultural is to help institutions committed to educating interculturally competent global citizens fulfill that mission consistently and sustainably by building intercultural capacity among their faculty and staff.

True North Intercultural partners with colleges, universities, and educational organizations to create and deliver customized professional development programs tailored to their intercultural teaching and learning goals.

All our programs are designed to help educators develop their intercultural competence—their ability to engage effectively, appropriately, and authentically across cultural differences, locally and globally.

But what makes our approach truly unique is that most programs simultaneously help educators develop their capacity to design and facilitate others’ intercultural learning, so they can integrate intercultural learning into their courses, study abroad programs, COIL and virtual exchange, orientations, faculty and staff trainings, career services, or other aspects of their work. All with the goal of creating more inclusive campuses and communities, and graduating interculturally competent global citizens prepared to thrive in our diverse, complex world.

All programs are created around the school or group’s specific needs and goals. Services may be provided in-person or remotely; most programs are a hybrid. Programs may include a combination of any of the following:

• workshops or retreats
• keynote speaking
• administration of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) + group and/or individual debriefs
• online learning modules
• coaching sessions (group and/or individual)
• consultative support
• Intercultural Development Inventory Qualifying Seminars (to build an internal team of IDI Qualified Administrators)

If you want to explore how your school or organization could partner with True North Intercultural to build intercultural capacity among your people, schedule a free strategy call. After discussing your context, goals, and budget, we’ll outline a customized program designed around your needs.

Photo credit: Darya Tryfanava, Unsplash