University of Warwick. Centre for Applied Linguistics
Abstract
This paper addresses the issue of how learning can support intercultural effectiveness and is
one of the outputs of the eChina-UK Programme. In this paper I synthesise theory and
evidence from a number of fields in order to propose a practical model of learning that can
be applied to intercultural collaborations. The aim is not to replace existing theories and
models of learning but to draw on them in order to present a simple description that might
be of value to those planning and managing international partnerships. Although much of
what is said here relates specifically to intercultural collaboration I believe that many of the
observations remain true of cross-sectoral partnership (which is, anyway, often intercultural
as well) and of inter-professional learning too: indeed, there might be an argument for
asserting principles of learning that contribute to effectiveness in working across boundaries
in any long-term collaboration.
The paper is divided into an Introduction and four further sections. Section 2 reviews the
various streams of literature which have informed the current study and presents an
argument for the particular approach to learning promoted in this paper on the basis of
established and complementary research in a number of different disciplines. Section 3
contains a description of the learning model for intercultural collaboration which has been
developed as part of our current research at the University of Warwick. The practical
application of this model, and the implications for policy in cultural collaboration, are
discussed briefly in Section 4. The final section summarises the work and looks forward to
further research and development around the issue of learning in intercultural collaboration
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