Developing Intercultural Competence amongst Higher Education Staff: Is there a Role for Organizational Change Management?

Abstract

Canadian higher education institutions are currently pursuing ambitious internationalization mandates. Due to the seriousness with which higher education institutions pursue internationalization and the difficulty of delivering on such mandates, it is important that institutions develop intercultural competence skills amongst their administrative staff. This paper will explore the importance of promoting and strengthening intercultural competence for higher education staff members to deliver on internationalization mandates and outcomes. The paper will also provide an overview of organizational change management, before exploring how institutions can use change management practice to support internationalization. To conclude, the paper offers a short list of recommendations for developing intercultural competence amongst administrative staff, through the lens of organizational change management.