Intercultural Management Education in a Global Market: Promoting Internationalization By Curricula Design

Abstract

The BA in Language Management for International Business and the MAin Intercultural Studies for Business, both accredited by A3es (Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education in Portugal) for 6 academic years, were conceptually designed to enhance the international vocation of the training provided at ISCAP, intending to deepen the successful international mobility programs within and outside the EU, by being ETP’s (English taught programmes), which regard the English Language as a lingua franca. In a strategic move toward internationalization, many international enterprises are changing the language of work in all or part of their activities. A great number of documents are being published in English, which has become an official language in meetings, teleconferences, or video conferences. This poses obvious questions of language management and of intercultural communication that these study programmes intend to answer. In times of financial difficulties, especially in Higher Education Institutions, these new study programme represent an opportunity and, simultaneously, a challenge. It is an opportunity to attract foreign students and national students, aiming to develop their internationalization skills in a global market, fostering employability. It is also a challenge because it provides the opportunity to meet the market's demand for internationalization, while providing a completely new framework for teaching how languages and cultures operate in a global world and of their relevance for business, networking and the development of the digital world. Thus, we present and reflect upon the design of a curriculum that weaves Digital Humanities and Business Studies.