Workplace Cultures

The overseas workplaces our students enter as interns are crucial sites of cultural clash. For students to have successful placements it is essential that they adapt to local ways of working, communication styles, social hierarchies, norms of politeness, and other expectations for interaction.

The overseas workplaces our students enter as interns are crucial sites of cultural clash. For students to have successful placements it is essential that they adapt to local ways of working, communication styles, social hierarchies, norms of politeness, and other expectations for interaction.

As we consulted with our international partners, they told us frequently that they wished they could help us better prepare our students for the types of workplaces they would enter. The danger is that, when they come up against other ways of working, intercultural visitors will not recognise how the local system works. They may become disoriented, judgmental or struggle to contribute in a meaningful way.

This module includes a range of activities, workplace scenarios and direct advice offered by our overseas partners, to help students integrate into work contexts across cultures. Veteran students and partners alike advise that, to get the most out of a placement, students engaging in work-integrated learning overseas benefit from anticipating some of the issues that may arise and preparing themselves with more generous understandings of cross-cultural clashes.