Becoming Competent for the Globalized World
Wainio, Elina; Escurra Ferreira, Liz (2025)
Laurea-ammattikorkeakoulu
2025
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025091524700
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025091524700
Tiivistelmä
Today`s globalized working life imposes strict competency requirements on the competences of graduates. In addition to professional skills, global competence has become extremely significant for the success of graduates in the labour market and in the society.
To comprehend what is encompassed within international competence, often referred also as intercultural and global competence, this paper presents some widely recognized constructs of it. Those constructs examine international competence based on four fundamental pillars: values, attitudes, knowledge and skills. They contain elements like one`s own cultural self-awareness, openness and curiosity towards local and global issues, respect and appreciation of diverse worldviews, and comprehension of intercultural interactions. These elements form the bedrock for intercultural competence, which gives an individual the ability to operate effectively and responsibly in cross cultural contexts.
The paper also discusses the need for the internationalization of higher education institutions (HEIs), which enables the development of students` international competencies. With strategic internationalization activities, HEIs aim to prepare their students with innovative pedagogical practices for active participation in international environments and cross-cultural encounters.
Cooperative Online International Learning (COIL) provides a pedagogical approach that operationalizes internationalization by facilitating structured, technology-mediated learning collaboration across borders. This paper examines how COIL can enhance international competences, by presenting a multidisciplinary Finnish – Paraguayan implementation of a COIL. It provides an empirically grounded example of measures for advancing the internationalization of HEIs, aimed at fostering students` global competence through authentic cross-cultural collaboration between the students, teachers and participating stakeholders.
To comprehend what is encompassed within international competence, often referred also as intercultural and global competence, this paper presents some widely recognized constructs of it. Those constructs examine international competence based on four fundamental pillars: values, attitudes, knowledge and skills. They contain elements like one`s own cultural self-awareness, openness and curiosity towards local and global issues, respect and appreciation of diverse worldviews, and comprehension of intercultural interactions. These elements form the bedrock for intercultural competence, which gives an individual the ability to operate effectively and responsibly in cross cultural contexts.
The paper also discusses the need for the internationalization of higher education institutions (HEIs), which enables the development of students` international competencies. With strategic internationalization activities, HEIs aim to prepare their students with innovative pedagogical practices for active participation in international environments and cross-cultural encounters.
Cooperative Online International Learning (COIL) provides a pedagogical approach that operationalizes internationalization by facilitating structured, technology-mediated learning collaboration across borders. This paper examines how COIL can enhance international competences, by presenting a multidisciplinary Finnish – Paraguayan implementation of a COIL. It provides an empirically grounded example of measures for advancing the internationalization of HEIs, aimed at fostering students` global competence through authentic cross-cultural collaboration between the students, teachers and participating stakeholders.