MKU hosts German BIDA delegates on a cultural exchange program

Becoming an Intercultural Diversity Ambassador

Becoming an Intercultural Diversity Ambassador (BIDA)isa joint partnership among Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, University of Applied Sciences (H-BRS), Germany, Mount Kenya University (MKU), Kenya, the Institute of Finance Management (IFM), Tanzania and the University of Zambia which is meant to engage selected students on diversity management. The objective of BIDA is to increase diversity and inclusion awareness amongst the participating students under the Erasmus+ Programme KA171. The Erasmus+ funded project which kicked-off on 7^th September 2022 is expected to run until June 2023.

This year MKU has hosted the German-BIDA delegates after their tour in Tanzania

A team of seven (7) students and three (3) staff members from H-BRS arrived at MKU for the Spring School in Kenya from IFM, Tanzania on Sunday, 26^th February 2023. The team from H-BRS was hosted by MKU for one week starting 26^th February 2023 to 4^th March 2023. Both the students from MKU and H-BRS participated in joint group work activities and field trips to Mully Children’s Home, Delmonte Kenya and the United Nation Campus as they drew experiences of Diversity Management from the different institutions that they visited.

The Spring School culminated with presentations on progress made on each of the BIDA group work assignments. The BIDA groups; Yellow Manjano, Blue Aces, Ubuntu Red and Ubuntu Green were constituted during the online phase of the course that took place on 4^th , 5^th and 26^th November 2022, where each group chose  a diversity dimension which they were to compare and contrast how the selected dimension was highlighted within their own country and institution, what barriers exist and what measures are taken to encourage equity and inclusion. The diversity dimensions discussed during the group presentations were religion, age and gender.

The students and participating staff from MKU, IFM and University of Zambia will visit H-BRS for the last part of the course, Summer School and the students will participate in joint courses, workshops and field trips, with the hosting students supporting the visiting students. The project groups continue to work together virtually on their respective assignments.

The desired impact of this course for the students is to develop and enhance both transversal skills (intercultural, problem-solving, critical thinking, communication etc.) and future skills (digital, inclusion, civic engagement etc.). This will enable the students to tackle future work challenges in a global, intercultural and inclusive world and further their personal development and self-confidence.

1. The blended mobility approach will expose students to different viewpoints, knowledge, and teaching methods.
2. It will help them to learn to adapt to new situations and to work in diverse teams developing their coping strategies for any challenges that may occur. One key element is to increase the awareness of privilege and the barriers that exist that prevent inclusion and how these can be removed.
3. It will also help to increase future employment opportunities as students who have taken part in institutionalized mobility often have an easier entry into the labor market, with better jobs and higher responsibilities compared with their ‘sedentary’ peers. Students will be granted Certificates for the participation in this course.