Abstract:

To foster the internationalization of the teaching-learning process, it is critical to be aware of the cultural differences between the local students of a host university and foreign students. Therefore, this study addressed the issue of how international project activities can facilitate the understanding of the cultural differences, existing between Latvians and the Japanese.

The research questions were:
1) How to identify and understand cultural differences between the Japanese and Latvians?
2) How do international project activities impact the effectiveness of internationalization of the teaching-learning process?

The main research methods were: analysis of theoretical literature, observation, case study and expert interviews. The cross-cultural communication theories, created by the Dutch social psychologist G. Hofstede [1], the American anthropologists E. Hall and M. Hall [2], [3], and the theoretical constructs on internationalization of higher education, reviewed by M. Tight [4], were used as the theoretical framework. We looked into Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension Theory (power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism-collectivism, masculinity-femininity, short vs long-term orientation, restraint vs indulgence) [1]. Hall’s categories of monochronic vs polychronic, low-context vs high-context cultures [2] were focused on. The Japanese are generally described as people representing a polychronic and high-context culture. But our research findings suggest that, due to the joint international activities, Japanese students have developed several characteristics typical of monochronic European cultures. We have also characterized the multifaceted international project activities, implemented in Jelgava (Latvia) and Tokushima (Japan), and co-organized by Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies and the University of Tokushima since 2014: art exhibitions, concerts, origami and culinary workshops, presentations, discussions, farm visits, etc. A learning tool was developed to enhance an understanding of cultural differences between Latvian and Japanese young people. Thus, the main conclusions of this study were: to identify and understand cultural differences, theoretical and practical cross-cultural training is necessary; the impact of the implemented international project activities on the effectiveness of internationalization of the learning-and-teaching process is the following: the Japanese students have learned, how to handle non-standard social /academic situations and how to interact/ co-operate with students/ academic staff from a European university; the cultural experiences of the young people involved were enriched; the learners enhanced their cross-cultural skills; their awareness of the Latvian- Japanese cultural characteristics increased.

References:
[1] G. Hofstede, G. J. Hofstede and M. Minkov, Cultures and Organisations: Software of the Mind. 3rd edition. NY: McGraw Hill, 2010.
[2] E. T. Hall and M. R. Hall, Understanding Cultural Differences. Yarmouth, Maine: Intercultural Press, 1990.
[3] E. T. Hall and M. R. Hall, Hidden Differences: Doing Business with the Japanese. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press, 1987.
[4] M. Tight, ”Internationalisation of higher education beyond the West: challenges and opportunities-the research evidence, ”Educational Research and Evaluation”, vol. 27, issue 3-4, pp. 239-259, 2022, Accessed 10 May 2022, https://doi.org/10.1080/13803611.2022.2041853

Keywords:

Internationalization, international project activities, the teaching and learning process, university, cultural differences.