Speaker: Joe Potts (University of Kansas, U.S.A.)

Date: November 18, 2015 – Wednesday

Time: 14:30-16:00

Venue: R608, Run Run Shaw Libaray, Hongkou Campus

Language: English

Summary: Universities in the United States increasingly recognize the need to include intercultural competence among core learning outcomes. The presentation focuses on exploring the ways that this particular competence is being defined, taught, and assessed, and considers the challenges universities are encountering doing so. Students at all levels need to graduate with an understanding of how to communicate and collaborate with “others” from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The implications of this endeavor are significant for the field of intercultural communication and related subjects. Practical applications of IC theory with clear indications of its value are needed as administrators and faculty seek to educate themselves and at the same time develop effective programs and ways to assess them. Dr. Potts will describe the intercultural learning movement in US universities and present examples of strategies being used to achieve intercultural learning outcomes.

Speaker Biography: Dr. Joe Potts is Assistant Vice Provost for international programs at the University of Kansas. He has recently returned to his alma mater after serving as associate dean of international programs at Purdue University. Dr. Potts holds graduate degrees from the University of Kansas and Kansas State University. His international experiences include living and working in both China and Japan, consulting on development projects in Vietnam, and serving as a Department of State representative in Saudi Arabia. He has also been active in the Association of International Educators-NAFSA for over 20 years. Dr. Potts has published work on theories of culture, the role of ethics in leadership, and the development of models for measuring the impact of international students on their host campuses.