Study Guide

Objective

Mechanical and production engineering students develop their intercultural competence. Students can recognise cultural differences, understand them and adapt their communication style as required. Students will apply their international communication competence. Students deepen their abilities to work in international and multicultural working life situations involving spoken and written interaction in English.

Content

Concepts of culture and communication
Variables for comparing cultures
Cultural differences in communication
The process of adapting to a culture / working abroad
Written business communication
Meetings and negotiations
Presentation of a foreign company, its production and/or a product including the cultural features.

Materials

Teacher given course material.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Participates with enthusiasm and profoundness in the course assignments and completes the assignments excellently
The students are able to recognise the main theories and principles of intercultural communication.
They are able to discuss and write about related themes using the correct terminology.
Their pronunciation and intonation is clear and they are able to plan and implement a comprehensive and natural presentation on a topic related to their field.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Participates actively in the course assignments and completes the assignments as per instruction.
The students are able to recognise some of the main theories and principles of intercultural communication. They are able to recognise and use basic terminology of the field. Their pronunciation and intonation is to some extent clear though containing errors and they are able to plan and implement a presentation on a topic related to their field.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Participates in the course assignments and completes the assignments as per minimum demand.
The students are able to recognise the basic terminology of the field. They able to communicate on intercultural issues in writing and orally to some degree. Their pronunciation and intonation is weak. They are able to deliver a presentation of some sort with help on the topic in hand.