Diversity and Inequality – "My Internationalization is not your internationalization"

Abstract

CIES Opening Speech – 25 September 2024 "Diversity and inequality – My internationalization is not your internationalization" Scott Clerk   Many of us have had the privilege of not only crossing geographical boundaries, but also facilitating international and cross-cultural experiences for our students and colleagues. In my case, my first experience in international education occurred during my undergraduate studies, when I spent three months in Sucre, Bolivia. This experience marked me deeply, not only because of what I learned on the ground, but also because of the transformation it generated in the way I saw my own country and my culture. I returned home with a new look, more critical and at the same time more understanding. The development of an intercultural mindset is undoubtedly one of the most powerful tools we have in the current context, and internationalization is a privileged way to cultivate it.