CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE AND PEDAGOGICAL INNOVATION: TRAINING TEACHERS FOR INTERCULTURAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

In a context of growing internationalisation of Higher Education Institutions, it is becoming increasingly urgent to train teachers to deal with the challenges of multicultural pedagogical environments, particularly with regard to adapting curricula and pedagogical approaches. Recognising that culture is a key element in building trust, fostering innovation and developing more effective learning environments, this paper advocates the importance of situated learning that promotes joint reflection between teachers and students, as a basis for co-creating truly intercultural teaching contexts.

This paper is based on the European project Cult@Intel, which aims to empower higher education teachers to boost students' academic success by promoting cultural awareness and the internationalisation of teaching. Through the development of Cultural Intelligence – perceived as the ability to adapt and interact effectively in diverse cultural contexts (be they national, ethnic and organisational) – a proposal is put forward to rethink teaching practices, making them more inclusive and sensitive to the different cultural backgrounds of student communities. Openness to difference, intercultural dialogue and a predisposition to change are highlighted as central elements of this macro-competence, which is essential for pedagogical innovation in contemporary higher education.