Diverschance_East – Global competence development and diversity challenges in an innovative Europe
Aims of the project
Work packages
The achievement of the research goals is determined by a structured approach, which is presented in the following work packages. These represent the course of the project.
Work package 1 represents the core of the project and aims at the preparation of a joint EU-H2020 proposal. Immediately after the publication of the calls, they will be screened by all project participants in order to generate a broad pool of project ideas. The ideas will be collected, elaborated, and specified within a joint one-week workshop. The workshop will bring together stakeholders from the business community and experts from the CULT_OPEN network. All participants will have the opportunity to exchange information about current research, measures regarding the integration of migrants into the labor market and diversity through lectures and discussions. The planned application process will take place within the first 12 months of the project. In order to enable a better cooperation in the course of work package 1, Prof. Dr. Smokova will stay in Germany for 3 months.
In work package 2, framework conditions for the development of global/intercultural competence and attitudes towards migration in universities and economy will be identified, which will form the core of the EU project. A survey on the internationalization of universities and economy is being developed for the data collection. The inquiry will take place in Germany and Ukraine. The data obtained will then be evaluated and analyzed, and recommendations for action will be derived.
Planned measures to implement the objectives
Within the project, work is ongoing to achieve various goals through the following measures:
- Further research work of the cooperation participants on the topics of diversity and intercultural competence within the framework of an H2020 research project
The aim is to identify predictors for jointly coping with the global challenge of migration, considering culture-specific aspects of Eastern and Western European culture. In addition, diversity and intercultural competence will be examined as key factors that are crucial for coping with social and economic challenges in the globalized world.
- Establishing and expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation
The goal of the project is to expand existing research relationships and integrate them into the Cult_Open network. The research network is intended to strengthen cooperation with the business community in the participating countries of Western Europe and the Eastern Partnership, and to help ensure that all institutions included in the consortium actively collaborate through exchange. In addition, it is planned that Dr. Smokova will stay in Germany twice for three months, thus enabling a closer cooperation.
- Expansion and utilization of the innovative potential by ensuring practical relevance and implementation of measures
Special attention should be paid to promoting diversity and intercultural competence among university graduates. As multipliers, they can ensure the transfer of scientific findings into practice. In addition, the external validity of the scientific findings on diversity and intercultural competence is to be tested and improved through exchange with the business community (via joint discussion rounds and measures), and problems relevant to practice are to be identified.
Benefits for the future
Through bilateral cooperation, it is possible to specifically address peculiarities of Eastern European cultures as well as to work out factors of interaction with Western European and other perspectives. The project results offer great additional value and the findings of the cooperation can be used to record and promote global competence in an evidence-based manner.
The cooperation will design a research proposal for the H2020 funding framework program and thus anticipates to participate in the follow-up program of the EU in the future. This will increase the participation of the Eastern Partnership countries of the consortium in the EU Framework Program and strengthen local science systems. Through the integration into the CULT_OPEN network, a foundation for the long-term cooperation of all participants is ensured beyond the collaboration.
In the field of economy, the focus is on measures that are expected to be effective in the short, medium and long term. The former includes, for example, deepening interest in and awareness of diversity and intercultural competence and their practical challenges. In addition, concrete measures to reduce discrimination and negative attitudes regarding migration will be developed and implemented. Further, the promotion of cooperation and exchange between sectors, participation in more advanced projects at the European level, and the use of innovatory potential and empowerment through a positive diversity culture are anticipated. In the long term, the promotion of an innovation union, the strengthening and formation of networks with the sectors involved, new business models and an expanded, goal-oriented and two-way exchange of knowledge are planned. Additionally, existing strategies and measures will be developed further. By including the specific cultural influences, a higher probability of success in economic activities in Eastern Europe is anticipated.
From a social perspective, the focus is particularly on measures such as getting to know the other sectors and promoting cooperation as well as exchange between the sectors. In addition, social learning and positive attitude changes in combination with the reduction of discrimination and negative attitudes regarding migration are to be achieved. In the long run, the goal is that diversity is seen as an opportunity and an enthusiasm for future technologies and innovation. Additionally, the strengthening and formation of networks with the involved practice sectors shall be achieved. In this way, an expanded and goal-oriented exchange of knowledge can be ensured and existing strategies and measures can be further developed. The goal is the creation of a common European cultural space and successful integration as a solution to the global challenge of migration.
In the area of research, local stakeholders will be involved in the research process. Thus, awareness of diversity, its practical challenges and advantages will be embedded in practice. In addition to capturing Eastern European cultural influences, an improvement in competitiveness is anticipated, especially for Germany.
The key competences of diversity and intercultural competence as well as Eastern European culture and countries will be examined in more thoroughly. In the long term, the aim is to strengthen science systems and the promotion of young researchers as well as internationalization and European orientation. An extended goal-oriented exchange of knowledge as well as the transfer of scientific findings into practice is strived for. The further development of existing strategies and measures is to be achieved, especially for Germany.