This study examines how internationality is expressed in the qualification
requirements as well as how internationality is interpreted into teaching. A look at related research reveals that higher and general education have often been in the center of similar studies, but vocational education and training has been studied less frequently. The documents that contain qualification requirements have been studied even less and possibly not to the same extent as this study as it includes almost half of the 164 Finnish qualification
requirements, thus offering a wider comprehension of the documents. Furthermore combining the conceptual framework of intercultural competence with a study of vocational education and training seems to be exceptional. Personally I find it important to study internationality and intercultural competence in VET because students who graduate with a VET qualification are professionals and ready to enter the working life. The working life has certain demands when it comes to international or intercultural competence, and as professionals of their own field students must be able to meet these demands. It is thus worth studying if students have the possibility to acquire or develop that competence. For these reasons this study is unique and begins to fill a niche that has previously existed. The findings of this study will be significant for educational policy because they will give an insight to the state of internationality within the qualification requirements.
It is well known that intercultural competence has been studied within many fields, with different approaches and from different angles. So why is it worth discussing again? In addition to the fact that intercultural competence and vocational education and training are a rare combination in academic work, intercultural competence is also a topical concept despite
its long history. The world in which we live in now is interconnected in many ways, from immigration and international travel to international markets, digital networks, and social media. One no longer has to leave his/her home country or home even to encounter
internationality or interculturality. It is crucial for everyone to be able to communicate with people from all kinds of backgrounds whether they are ethnic, economic, gender, educational, and so on. In order for people to understand each other, get along with each other and work with each other it is important that they possess competence with which that is possible. One could almost even argue that instead of intercultural competence we could discuss social competence; something that covers not only culture but other diversity factors. However, for now, scholars’ focus in intercultural competence is on diversity that generates from culture and ethnicity.
Spitzberg and Changnon’s (2009) points made already ten years ago would support my personal statements. Spitzberg and Changnon (2009) predicted that cultural diversity will become conspicuous within the global marketplace, and thus make intercultural competence an immensely crucial skill. The skill of managing the interconnectedness of the society is something that employers also seek. Spitzberg and Changnon (2009) thus claim that pursuing research in how to be an interculturally competent communicator is essential. (Spitzberg &
Changnon, 2009, p. 4-5) Spitzberg and Changnon’s (2009) predictions have come true, however the diversification of societies and global markets certainly has not come to an end, on the contrary diversity seems to be ever increasing. This is one of the crucial reasons why intercultural competence is still worth further application to new topics and why its link to VET should be studied as well; what does this diverse world mean for the students and future professionals that VET produces?
Ragnarsdottir (2016) presents that migration and globalization have produced diverse societies and transnational communitieswhich relates to my notion of the possibility of
encountering internationality without leaving one’s home. According to Ragnarsdottir (2016) the contacts between people and social groups are not only based on proximity but also on absence and imagined closeness. (Ragnarsdottir, 2016, p. 76) To put Ragnarsdottir’s (2016) point into other words I would say that nowadays it is possible to have intercultural
encounters without physical proximity. Different modern technologies produce opportunities where it is possible to interact with people from around the world. Such situations are
different from the “traditional” intercultural encounters only in the sense that physical proximity does not exist. That does not make them any less intercultural, rather it means that the “amount” of intercultural encounters and the possibility of them is larger. This is
something that education and VET need to recognize (and perhaps it has been recognized in some cases), that internationality is not only something that is encountered once you go abroad.
Emert and Pearson (2007) have also stressed a similar responsibility: they argue that educational systems are responsible for equipping students with the relevant skills and knowledge so that they may become productive members of the society. In order to promote global literacy VET institutions should build intercultural learning possibilities that foster enhancement of culturally applicable knowledge, skills, and attitudes both in the classroom and outside of it. (Emert & Pearson, 2007, p. 67) Hastjarjo and Nuryana (2018) share Emert and Pearson’s (2007) views because they argue that vocational education institutions need to provide their students with certain competences in intercultural interaction and
communication, because workers and professionals need to possess intercultural communication competence if they desire to have a bigger role in the businesses and industries on international level (Hastjarjo & Nuryana, 2018, p. 1)
The mobility program Erasmus+ has also recognized the importance of intercultural and international skills in VET, as it has released a report about strategical internationalization
of VET (2017). The report reminds that internationalization is also a value in itself, and not only a labor market value. The entire society benefits if our citizens and professionals have acquired competences that are needed in the international business world and our diverse European and global societies. (Erasmus+, 2017, p. 7) Thus it is not only beneficial and necessary for the individual to acquire intercultural competence, but also it will benefit the society if more people are interculturally competent.
As a conclusion it can be noted that intercultural competence and internationality in relation to VET is a worthy topic to study. Because of the interconnectedness of the world, diversification of societies, and global nature of the working life it is important that students with VET qualifications are equipped with intercultural competence. Educational institutions have a big role in this process, and some argue that it is their responsibility to provide students with skills that match the needs of the changing society. I would agree with this because I argue that schools might have the best capacity to offer every student an equal chance at gaining intercultural competence. Furthermore by ensuring that equal chance we are closer to producing professionals that are able to maneuver in an interconnected, diverse world and working life. Because of the justifications presented in this chapter, innovative studies such as this one are needed to explore the challenges and opportunities of how internationality and intercultural competence are included in VET and more specifically in the qualification requirements.