In today’s world, understanding cultural differences isn’t just an academic exercise, it’s a life skill. Our recent Cross Cultural Management collaboration had workshops designed to teach students these necessary skills to success in life and in business. Together with Michelle Cummings-Koether from the Deggendorf Institute of Technology we wanted to take students out of their daily routines and immerse them in experiences that challenge assumptions, spark curiosity, and build empathy. To force them out of their comfort zone, in the name of learning.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
The workshops combined theory with games and group activities. Students didn’t just learn about culture or Erin Meyer’s Culture Map, they lived them and used their skills in a set of assignments and group work. Through interactive assignments, role-plays, and real-world interviews, they explored how cultural values shape the society and communication and that allowed them to make further connections to the leadership, and teamwork both topics that they study in our course intercultural Leadership and Teamwork (CCM) now and in the future.
Learning Cultural Complexity Through Games
While sometimes just bringing people together is enough. This time the real magic happened when we introduced games that mimic cultural complexity. First the students did not know how to react. “Why on earth do we play a children’s game at the university” was an actual question. However, at that point they did not know what was ahead of them.
In one activity, students played Monopoly with different rules, roles, and starting resources. Suddenly, fairness and strategy looked very different depending on where you started. And the comments afterwards were mind-boggling. In another game, students played without speaking, each following different, secret rules. Confusion of the games soon turned into insight. “So, this is what it feels like to navigate a society where rules & norms aren’t shared or understood”.
These playful exercises revealed something important. We often take our own cultural norms for granted. When students experienced inequality or ambiguity firsthand, they realized how easily privilege blinds us to the struggles of others. And that made us all think from the viewpoint of someone else. Even for a day. And I strongly believe that this type of experience will help students to step in each other’s shoes more easily in the future.
The Power of International Collaboration
Then to the main point from the educational collaboration viewpoint. What made these workshops truly special was the collaboration between teachers from two different countries. By bringing diverse perspectives into the classroom, we modeled the very principles we teach. International cooperation among educators doesn’t just enrich content, it creates an atmosphere of authenticity and excitement. Students see that cross-cultural dialogue isn’t theoretical but it’s happening right in front of them. As teachers we can all share that example to our students, if we so wish.
Why It Matters
These experiences remind us that education should do more than transfer knowledge, it should transform mindsets. When students step outside their routines, engage with unfamiliar perspectives, and wrestle with cultural complexity, they become better prepared for the global workplace, and for life.
