One of the benefits of studying at a university or college is learning in a classroom with students from all over the world. This can bring challenges but also many benefits to you, both personally and professionally. Let’s take a deeper look at multiculturalism at university and why it’s so important.
Language
Studying at university, whether in your home country or abroad, is a fantastic opportunity to make friends that speak different languages. With a multicultural friendship group, you’ll be exposed to lots of different words and phrases which will enhance your language learning skills. At university, you may need to find a ‘common’ language such as English to communicate in for university work and group presentations. This will present you with the opportunity to learn a new language – surrounded by your friends who can help you to practice your pronunciation.
Travel
With friends from different parts of the world, you might also be invited to stay with them in their home countries. You can visit their family, learn about a different culture and explore a new part of the world. This will help you to broaden your horizons, become independent and learn about the world by getting out there and seeing it.
Empathy
Meeting people from different countries will help to break down any subconscious stereotypes you might hold about people from that country. And there’s no better way to break those stereotypes than to speak to people face-to-face. Learning to understand other people and have empathy is a very important life skill. But with tolerance, kindness and compassion, it’s our young educated generations that are breaking down barriers of hate and discrimination.
Culture
Be it food, music, TV, fashion, or cultural traditions, there’s so much to learn from mixing with people from different cultures. Being open-minded to experiencing different cultures will benefit you as a person and help you to learn and grow. By stepping out of your comfort zone, you can experience a multicultural lifestyle and become very knowledgeable about different parts of the world.
Education
Surrounding yourself with a diversity of languages, cultures, ideas and perspectives can help you to grow as an academic and become a truly international thinker. As a student, it’s important to consider a variety of opinions and learn how to think critically about what you’re learning. Being able to communicate and connect with people from different countries isn’t easy but it’s a very important skill that will become useful later in life – when working on your career.
