Educating Socially Responsible *Global* Citizens: Service-Learning as a Vehicle for Internationalization
Poster Presentation Time: 1500-1600; 1700-1800
Venue: E2, Tai Po-Shek-O Room, Lower Level I
Presenter(s)
– Dr Grace NGAI, Head, Service-Learning and Leadership Office, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
– Dr Stephen CHAN, Principal Project Fellow and Founding Head, Service-Learning and Leadership Office, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
– Dr Perry LEE, Manager, Service-Learning and Leadership Office, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
– Dr Angel LUO, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
– Dr Shuheng LIN, Project Fellow, Service-Learning and Leadership Office, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
– Mr Kenneth LO, Senior Manager, Service-Learning and Leadership Office, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,
Abstract
In Hong Kong, internationalization is a key performance indicator for the higher education section in response to the policy goal of establishing the city as a regional education hub (University Grants Committee, 2017). Resources have been allocated to universities for various initiatives including the recruitment of international faculty and students, inter-institutional collaboration in research, and students’ overseas learning experiences. A document analysis study on 6 universities in Hong Kong showed a notable increase of institutional focus on internationalization, intercultural skills, culture, diversity, equality, and inclusion post-pandemic (Lai, 2022). Besides its contribution to global connectivity, knowledge exchange, and institutional development (Lane, 2014), internationalizing higher education is also important to prepare students for a globalized world (Egron-Polak, 2011). Given the increasing diversity within universities and societies, prioritizing the cultivation of students’ intercultural sensitivity (IS) has become essential as it enhances students’ academic and personal success and fosters harmony and development within communities. Different strategies have been implemented in higher education institutes to provide intercultural opportunities for students. These include student mobility programmes, including short and long-term immersive learning activities that bring students outside of their home country to study abroad. At the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, this includes international service-learning (ISL), with a university target of 50% of students having an ISL experience by 2027-28. In this poster presentation, we will study the impact of ISL on students’ intercultural sensitivity from multiple dimensions, including knowledge, skills, and attitudes.