Dr. Desislava Karaasenova will hold two conferences in our department within the scope of the Erasmus+ Program Lecture Mobility. Dates and topics are listed below. All our students are invited.
Bio
Dr Desislava Karaasenova teaches Intercultural Communication and English for Specific Purposes at the European Studies Department of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria.
Topics:
-
Monday (13th May) btw 14:00-15:00 (310 classroom number)
Understanding culturally diverse educational settings: insights from intercultural communication theory
The presentation explores cultural specificities in the educational setting from the perspective of intercultural communication theory. The discussion is guided through the lens of Geert Hofstede’s culture comparison model to raise awareness about how perceptions and behaviours can manifest in a culturally diverse educational context and provide guidance on how to enhance a learner’s cultural competence to facilitate their integration in a global educational environment.
The presentation is designed as an interactive activity where students engage in reflection and critical thinking to enhance their understanding of their own culture and its manifestations in the educational context.
-
Tuesday (14th May) 12:00-13:00 (308 classroom number)
Navigating cultural differences in a global workforce
The presentation explores aspects of working in a multicultural context from the perspective of intercultural communication theory.
It is mainly guided by Erin Meyer’s scale of cultural variations which provides theoretical and practical insight for effective communication and collaboration across culturally diverse teams. Meyer’s scale is relevant to the business and organizational context as it deals with how we: communicate (implicitly/explicitly); evaluate performance (criticize/provide feedback); disagree (open disagreement/avoid confrontation); persuade (inductive/deductive approach); lead (egalitarian/hierarchical manner); make decisions (by consensus or top-down); schedule activities (linear/flexible approach to time); establish trust (work/relationship based).
The presentation is designed as an interactive activity where students engage in reflection and critical thinking to enhance their understanding of their own culture and its manifestations in a work context, while also fostering empathy toward otherness.