Winter School 2024 I Postponed: new dates available soon
The Winter School on Global Diversity Management is based on an intense academic program, as well as several visits to local corporate or cultural organisations, and is strongly committed to an applied approach in order to match the academic/theoretical analysis about insights, knowledge and practical strategies to sensitively manage the issues and challenges associated with working in a culturally diverse context.
Participants will appreciate how cultural diversity impacts on human behaviour and performance and learn effective strategies to negotiate and deal with the competing challenges arising between staff from culturally diverse backgrounds.
The benefits of this skills programme include: improved competence in managing diversity; acknowledging, understanding, accepting, valuing and celebrating the uniqueness among people irrespective of, amongst others, race, age, class and gender; and enhanced communication skills and interpersonal relationships; bringing about new attitudes and processes to the benefit of the organisation as a whole.
Methodology and structure
The purpose of this Winter School is to highlight the importance of understanding and applying workplace diversity towards sustainability. Organisations that embrace diversity, set themselves up for socially sustainable competitive advantage. This is in line with VIU mission of sharing knowledge, in this instance specifically related to the nexus of diversity and sustainability. The programs acknowledge the interconnected and intertwined relationships between a sustainability culture, diversity and inclusion, and social sustainability. VIU and the city of Venice are a multicultural context and the unique setting of Venice is a special laboratory, a location that foregrounds the extraordinary culture of the past, the problems of the present, and the possibility of the future.
Learning outcomes
- Understand the difference and interrelatedness of the concepts of inclusion and diversity;
- Develop ‘diversity management’ skills and learn how to deal with diversity of social standing, culture, and characteristics of difference;
- Provide concrete tools, techniques and methods professionals can use to manage diversity across the globe;
- Understand the influence of culture (including one’s own) on individuals working in teams;
- Appreciate the need for diversity and cross-cultural interaction in the work domain;
- Explore the complexity of leading sustainable diversity;
- Identify when conflict has a cultural component;
- Identify practical management strategies to address cross-cultural misunderstanding; and
- Enhance skills in managing diverse people towards organisational sustainability.
Faculty
Anita Bosch, Stellenbosch Business School
Joerg Dietz, University of Lausanne
Maddy Janssens, KU Leuven
Franciska Krings, University of Lausanne
Njeri Mwagir, Stellenbosch Business School
Barbara Quacquarelli, Università degli studi di Milano-Bicocca (Scientific Coordinator)
Adriano Solidoro, Università degli studi di Milano-Bicocca (Scientific Coordinator)
Who is it for?
Undergraduates, graduates, PhD students and post-doc scholars as well as professionals.
Credits
Number of ECTS credits allocated: 2
A Certificate of attendance will be issued at the end of the course.
Fees
Students of VIU member universities:
€ 500 incl. VAT.
Students of other universities:
€ 1000 incl. VAT.
The fees will cover tuition, course materials, lunches in the VIU cafeteria and social events.
Student participants will be responsible for covering their own travel expenses to and from Venice, accommodation and local transportation.
VIU Alumni are eligible for a reduced fee.
PhD candidates and post-docs from EU universities may be eligible for Erasmus+ mobility grant support. Candidates should consult the International Office in their own university for information about the calls for applications for funding. VIU will provide any supporting documentation requested for such applications.
Contact VIU Erasmus office: erasmus@univiu.org