The Intercultural Development and Education to Action (IDEA) Institute

The Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI©) serves as a foundation for the Intercultural Development and Education to Action (IDEA) Institute. Each participant will complete the IDI, a comprehensive assessment that provides useful feedback to individuals about how they engage cultural diversity and identifies issues that may be impeding them from bridging more effectively across cultural differences. Each participant will receive a Intercultural Development Plan (IDP), a customized plan that guides individuals through a series of developmentally appropriate activities and self-reflections.

Participants will be invited to participate in at least three individualized coaching sessions per semester. These one-on-one sessions offer personalized guidance and support, helping participants create tailored development plans to enhance their intercultural learning process.

In the Fall, IDEA Institute cohort members will meet for seven 1 1/2 hours of group development and education sessions designed to engage in dialogue across difference and foster collective growth.

The first session provides participants with an overview of the program (including an understanding of the IDI©, an opportunity to begin reflecting on their participation in the program, and an introductory overview of some frameworks used to think about intercultural development and engaging across difference. The format is interactive and informal snacks and materials are provided.

The remaining sessions will support participants as they work through their respective Intercultural Development Plans (IDPs). Through a group coaching approach with guided discussions and activities, participants will engage in self-reflection about opportunities and challenges they face navigating cultural differences and deepen their intercultural understanding of others. By the end of the Fall semester, participants will identify goals to increase intercultural competence and design a project directly related to their function on campus, Unit 1 goals, or performance appraisal goals.

The shared journey through group development and education sessions encourages accountability, builds community, and enhances the application of intercultural skills in personal and professional settings. These sessions provide a supportive and collaborative environment where participants can share experiences, challenges, and insights while working towards their individual goals. Participants must commit to attending the group sessions to complete the program. 

By the end of the Fall semester, participants will identify goals to increase intercultural competence and design a project directly related to their function on campus, Unit 1 goals, or performance appraisal goals.

Starting in Winter term and Spring semester, participants will work more autonomously on their project that will address an aspect of intercultural engagement they would like to develop more fully. Cohort members will be invited to five 1 1/2 hours sessions to participate in the Mastermind technique as they work on their respective projects. The Mastermind technique provides an innovative platform for collaborative problem-solving and strategic thinking. By engaging in facilitated peer-to-peer discussions, participants come together to address challenges and/or brainstorm actionable solutions as they progress toward their respective intercultural development goals and projects. In these sessions, faculty and staff participants can uncover new approaches, gain valuable feedback, and accelerate their learning and development. Participants must commit to attending the Mastermind sessions to complete the program. 

Throughout the program, IDEA Institute Participants will be expected to participate in at least 3 Intercultural Learning Opportunities (ILOs) of their choice a semester as part of their transformative journey. Grounded in the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI©) and Intercultural Development Plan (IDP), these activities provide a structured approach to advancing participants’ intercultural learning and achieving respective individual goals. According to the IDI, participants can enhance their personal growth and move forward in their intercultural development with consistent and targeted engagement with ILOs. Participants must commit to completing ILOs and will be expected to complete short reflections in Moodle about their ILO activities.

At the end of the academic year, the cohort will gather for a two-hour retreat/luncheon to share updates, discuss feedback, and provide peer support as participants work through or complete their personal projects and IDP goals. This will be an opportunity to reflect on individual and group intercultural learning processes during the Institute and to discuss ongoing commitment to engage in intercultural learning activities. We will also discuss poster presentations and the graduation celebration marking the completion of the Institute.

At the start of the next academic year, participants will have an opportunity to showcase their intercultural learning journey through poster presentations at a graduation celebration with invited colleagues and university leadership.