Project description

Intercultool aims at contributing to the preparation of professionals for the management of cultural diversity situations within their field (both business, public and not for profit) and their society and at the recognition and introduction of intercultural competence in the vocational education system through:

• Elaborating a framework model and adapting an assessment tool on intercultural competence to better understand and measure the training needs of the different target groups;
• Testing the assessment tool and consequently collecting results on the intercultural competences of 1200 professionals in 5 countries (Sweden, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, UK);
• Editing recommendations for the inclusion of intercultural competence into the training of VET teachers, and in the business, social and public sectors. Intercultool has an overall duration of 24 months (December 2007 - December 2009), and a total value of 393,313 €. It is articulated as follows:

1) Framework model on intercultural competence based on interviews. This study is the result of 120 interviews in 5 countries (Sweden, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, UK) with professionals working indifferent sectors (business, public and not for profit), and VET teachers facing intercultural situations;

2) Assessment methodology. To transfer the modifications of the Framework model into the assessment tool, and create the definitive format of the assessment tool, design and edit the content;

3)Testing, validation: To create the test validation plan (choice of size, type of sample, experimental design) in order to test the assessment tool - data collection; analysis, treatment of data; final rearrangements, adjustments of the tool if it appears necessary after the experiment;

4) Valorisation: Compiling recommendations on the integration of the results into VET institutions, and in the other sectors involved: editing a study - executive summary, based on the 30 interviews, the 300 test results of the intercultural assessment tool effectuated with teachers of vocational education and training and with professionals from the business, public and not for profit sectors; to integrate the results into own system of activities.

5) Promotion and Dissemination: Creation of a communication plan; identification of stakeholders, organisation of disseminating event with presence of stake-holders of VET system and from the other sectors interested. Organisation of one joint international conference as a closing event (Budapest). Promotion of project activities and outcomes through internet, newsletters, etc.

Milestones

The Intercultool project is built on Working Packages. Here you can see the short descriptions of these packages and the picture shows the timeline of the project.

The Work package 1 is the project coordination. It aims to ensure stability, continuity of the project, and it is monitoring of the work process and providing the necessary information to the partners.

The Work package 2 is about the to find information on the specificity of intercultural competence required by the different intercultural situations, and integrate this information into the framework model. As a tool we are making interviews with persons who are involved to intercultural situations in the specified sectors.

Assessment methodology is the main topic of the Work package 3, which will be done by transcribing the modifications of the framework model into the assessment tool and creating the definitive format of the assessment tool. Also the designing and editing the content will be a part of this package.

In the Work package 4 we will test and validate the tool and create the definitive format of the assessment tool.

The results will be integrated to the VET in the Work package 5, also we will integrate the results into own system of activities.

The other full length Work package is the number 6 which ensures visibility of the project, and disseminates the results to beneficiaries and other stake-holders.