Exploring Intercultural Competence via Academic Writing: A Student's Perspective on an EDUC Experience

The EDUC alliance offers students a unique opportunity to engage with international peers, broaden their perspectives, and develop key academic skills. One such opportunity was the course “Writing Across Cultures”, which was offered by David Prickett at the University of Potsdam and open to EDUC students. In this course, students explored the meaning and relevance of intercultural competence in today’s world, engaged in academic writing, and participated in peer review exercises. The semester culminated in student presentations showcasing their research and reflections.

Akua Annoh from the Université Paris Nanterre actively participated in this course, attending every session online and making valuable contributions. In this interview, she shares her experience, insights, and takeaways from the course.

What inspired you to join this course, and what made it stand out to you?

I had some extra time this semester and was looking for a meaningful way to use it. When I came across the course, the title Writing Across Cultures immediately spoke to me. It also reminded me of my literature classes in high school, which I really enjoyed. I was hoping to develop my academic writing skills while also gaining new perspectives through exchanges with students from different backgrounds. The international aspect of the course made it particularly interesting to me because I expected that we would not only learn about intercultural competence theoretically but also experience it through our interactions with other participants. I appreciated the presence of a teaching assistant who could contribute personal insights to the themes we would discuss. 

In what ways did this course shape your understanding of intercultural competence?

The course helped me develop a clearer understanding of intercultural competence, especially as something that can be acquired and continuously developed. One important lesson for me was learning not to define or classify people solely according to their nationality or social group. Culture influences us, but it does not completely define who we are as individuals. I appreciated the group work a lot. One memorable experience was working in a group and discovering that one of the other students was studying my local language as part of his linguistics course. I was able to help him with his assignment, which was a small but meaningful intercultural exchange for me. The course also made me realize that even when we appreciate and are genuinely interested in another culture, misunderstandings can still happen. Good intentions alone do not automatically lead to intercultural understanding. We also need to listen, ask questions, and remain open to perspectives that may differ from our own.

Looking back, what will you take away from this experience?

One of the most practical things I will take away from the course is the improvement in my academic writing. It helped me better understand how to formulate a thesis statement, use the funnel method in writing, and write an abstract. I also discovered useful academic databases and approaches to finding and working with research literature, which I plan to continue using in my studies. Beyond academic writing, one idea from one of the stories we read particularly stayed with me: culture can be something sacred that people preserve, but it can also be something that is carried, worn, shared, and experienced in everyday life. This made me think differently about how I interact with my own culture, especially living abroad. Meeting people who were so eager to share their perspectives and understand those of others has also encouraged me to put myself out there more. I cannot truly understand and appreciate other people and their cultures if I do not try to get to know them. The course has therefore made me more conscious of how I collaborate with others, especially of the importance of giving people space to express their own opinions and perspectives. I would encourage other students to participate in a similar course. It offers an opportunity not only to improve academic skills, but also to meet diverse people and become more aware of how we communicate and collaborate across cultures.

The EDUC alliance continues to facilitate meaningful international learning experiences, fostering collaboration and exchange across universities. This course not only strengthened students’ academic writing skills but also deepened their understanding of intercultural competence, an essential skill in today's globalized world. We look forward to hearing more from our EDUC participants and their journeys through these enriching academic opportunities!