5. An international workplace culture

Successfully implementing and managing diversity and inclusion at the workplace requires more than merely establishing policies and programmes. Effective internationalization requires that UCPH management recognizes and respects the unique needs and the potential of an internationalized work environment, and then integrates the contributions and perspectives of the different groups represented in the particular work setting. Respect for diversity and inclusion can increase both academic and administrative staff members’ job satisfaction and promote staff retention.

In order to ensure the effective management of diversity and inclusion, UCPH managers must understand the importance of workplace diversity, show cultural and language sensitivity, display skills and strategies that are necessary for nurturing an international environment, and find resources for supporting a diverse staff.

A comprehensive leadership programme in diversity management, or courses that focus on a particular aspect of establishing and managing diversity and inclusion, can help UCPH managers develop skills and strategies for effective internationalization. Such programmes and courses should be available to new and existing UCPH managers, should they need training and resources in a particular domain of internationalization.

Managers and staff members at UCPH can find an updated catalogue of courses on the internal KU-net.

UCPH should establish specific procedures and platforms that will help UCPH management identify their needs for training in diversity and inclusion and to discuss internationalization strategy development.

Setting up opportunities for continuous dialogue is vital because it allows for the identification of specific needs UCPH managers may have, which should lead to the development of training and leadership programmes that address these needs from both a general and local perspective. These leadership programmes and courses should be tailor-made to address the needs of both new managers and experienced managers who may be facing a novel situation in their internationalized setting.

Managers and staff members at UCPH can read more about the UCPH principles for diversity and equality on the internal KU-net.

At CIP we can contribute by focusing on language diversity and intercultural communication, for instance as part of a workshop on implementing the language policy. If you’re interested in knowing more about what we offer at CIP, please contact us at cip@hum.ku.dk or by phone +45 3532 8639.