What is Curriculum Internationalisation?

By Shamilah Thariq

Curriculum Internationalisation is an important aspect that I believe should be included in every institution and company/enterprise. The UK is so diverse in terms of cultures. I recently attended a cultural workshop on Cultural Knowledge and Identity. I learned that there are about 152 cultures at the University of Kent alone! That blew my mind and just piqued my interest in knowing more. Workshops like these are so helpful as an international student coming from Singapore (a cosmopolitan country) but the UK is even more diverse due to its large population and a well-known hub for higher education and employment. It is very crucial as, without curriculum internationalisation, there will be misunderstandings and can create conflicts between individuals. For instance, I had a huge cultural shock when I first came here about the transport in the UK. The buses in Canterbury have only one door for alighting and boarding. The buses in Singapore have two doors, the front for boarding and the back for alighting. Hence, we never or rarely acknowledge the bus drivers for getting us safely to our destinations. Ever since I came here, the structure of the buses has instigated or rather inculcated the habit of saying thanks to the bus drivers every single time without fail which I think is a positive cultural norm. Even a mere change like transport has brought a positive impact in my life.