Project title: Harmonizing inter-cultural diversity
Project goal: the project aims to promote intercultural harmonization and interactions among
the students and faculties of Tallinn University.
Objectives:
1. To support inter cultural harmonization among the students
2.
To promote culture-based interactions among TLU faculties
3.
To enhance and enrich the social environment of TLU
Project Team:
Almonzer Eskandar - Ma Student in HCI
Godfrey Kingsley - Ma Student in HCI
James Sunney Quaicoe - PhD student at Information Society Technologies
Eka Jeladze - PhD student at Information Society Technologies
Anastasiia Valjamae - PhD student at Information Society Technologies
Maka Eradze – PhD student at Information Society Technologies
Project Background:
The influx of international students to Tallinn University has been on the increase in recent
years, consequently the study environment is becoming increasingly multicultural and this calls
for cross cultural concerns in addressing the disparate perceptions and intercultural diversities.
We intend to organize events and activities designed to cultivate and foster intercultural
awareness and competence, aimed at enriching the international study environment and
facilitate intercultural learning, sharing and exchange.
The event goal is twofold: The intent is to support the acculturation of international students by
providing opportunities for cultural exchange. We also aim at increasing the intercultural
competence of students, faculty, staff and most importantly an opportunity to share cultural
values.
Project Scope:
● The scope of the project includes intercultural food exchange day.
● Lectures: Scholars/leaders to present their perspective on significant issues.
● Performing arts and art exhibitions.
Target group:
University Students in Estonia
Faculties of Tallinn University
Lecturers of Tallinn University
Duration: 6 weeks, starting from 15th of October
Partners in the first phase of project initiation:
1.
2.
Erasmus Student network
The Student Union
Needs Analysis:
Estonia is catching the eyes of the world not only Europe, that is what we see when we get to
know all the nationalities that are coming here to study and work thriving the knowledge of
Estonian finest universities with hope for a work in one of its popular startups.
Skype, E-residency, low taxes, clean government and over 14,000 new companies registered in
2011, with big possibilities come bigger responsibilities and with all the people coming to
Estonia one should think of ways to strengthen the bound between the incomers and the locals,
so both of them can be comfortable enough to participate in the well being of this great country.
Our project aims to -work on this bound to be built on a strong base of mutual understanding
and promote culture-based interactions among students and faculties members of our beloved
university TLU; with a vision of A harmonized community full of diversity and intercultural
relations.
Work packages, key deliverables and activities:
1. Information dissemination to student and staff of TLU.
International student council operates in Tallinn University, which has experience about
organizing different events for students. Project team will contact the council to share its
experience, learn about the students’ nationalities represented in TLU, as well as possible
communication channels and the best ways to involve them in the proposed project events.
Information will be prepared and communicated through the channels identified.
2. Identification of the leaders of the events.
The leaders will be the volunteers willing to share their culture and tradition with the audience
either by representing their national food or specific aspects of the tradition/culture. Leaders will
be invited to present their culture either in national groups or individually. By the end of 3 rd week
the list of participant groups/individuals as well as their presentation plans will be agreed on.
3. Student survey on the adaptation to new culture
Project team will prepare survey and hold interviews with the international and local students.
International students will be asked on their adaptation experience and living in a new culture.
Estonian students will be asked to reflect on the challenges identified by internationals, how
these aspects can be approached from their cultural perspectives. The survey will be analyzed
and put on the blog in order to help new comers to be better prepared to live in Estonia.
4. Organization of the event: food exchange festival
The event will be organized to present national food from different countries. Volunteers will
bring their national food for the participants to try. They will have opportunity to present tradition
connected to the meal, as well as the ingredients and instructions to cook. The information (text
about the ingredients/tradition, either video on the preparation procedures) will be shared on the
blog for the interested guests to follow and enrich their cooking and cultural experience. Guestspeakers will be invited.
5. Organization of the event: The cultures that surround us
The second event will be dedicated to the presentation of traditions/culture (folk music, national
dance, history, monuments and etc.). Volunteer leaders will have opportunity to share their
culture either in groups or individually. The event will include Estonian culture presentation as
an opportunity for the international students to get more understanding about the culture they
are currently residing, and vice versa giving Estonians chance to hold the grasp about the
diversity of cultures surrounding them. Guest-speakers will be invited
6. Web-blog creation
As the outcome of the project web-blog will be created. The blog will serve as the diary of the
project, demonstrating its outputs:
- The summary of student experiences on the adjustment to new culture, together with Estonian
students’ reflections will be uploaded on the blog for a reference for new students coming to
Estonia.
- Presentations and videos used during the events will be shared as nice welcoming information
for international students. It will also support the local community to embrace cultural variety
international students bring to Estonia.
Activities
25.
10
1.1
1
8.1
1
15.
11
22.
11
29.
11
Responsibl
e person
Participant
Almonzer
Eskandar
Eka Jeladze
Almonzer
Eskandar
Eka Jeladze
Almonzer
Eskandar
Eka Jeladze,
Anastasiia Valjamae
Almonzer
Eskandar
Eka Jeladze, Godfrey
Kingsley, James
Sunney Quaicoe,
Anastasiia Valjamae
Anastasiia
Valjamae
Almonzer Eskandar,
Godfrey Kingsley,
Eka Jeladze, James
Sunney Quaicoe
Anastasiia
Valjamae
Almonzer Eskandar,
Godfrey Kingsley,
Collaboration and Information Sharing
Meeting with student council
Meeting with international
student board
>
Information dissemination and
communication with students
Preparation of information for the
information sharing
>
>
>
Survey
Preparation of the tools
data collection
>
>
>
Eka Jeladze, James
Sunney Quaicoe
data analysis
>
>
>
Report on the survey uploaded
on the blog
James
Sunney
Quaicoe
Almonzer Eskandar,
Godfrey Kingsley,
Eka Jeladze,
Anastasiia Valjamae
Godfrey
Kingsley
James Sunney
Quaicoe, Anastasiia
Valjamae
Project web-blog
Setting the blog
Prepare the texts, podcasts and
upload on the blog
>
Godfrey
Kingsley
>
>
Meeting with the leaders to
introduce event plan and their
role
>
>
Select and book the venue for
the events
>
>
>
>
Godfrey
Kingsley
Almonzer Eskandar,
James Sunney
Quaicoe
Eka Jeladze
Godfrey Kingsley,
Almonzer Eskandar
Eka Jeladze
Anastasiia Valjamae
Eka Jeladze
Godfrey Kingsley,
Almonzer Eskandar,
James Sunney
Quaicoe, Anastasiia
Valjamae
Eka Jeladze
Godfrey Kingsley,
Almonzer Eskandar,
James Sunney
Quaicoe, Anastasiia
Valjamae
Event
Prepare the venue setting for the
event (tables, chairs, projector,
microphone and etc.)
Event implementation
>
>
Risk Analysis/Management:
Expert knowledge holds it that 5% - 10% of project resources need to be directed to risk
management practices (Normark 2014). On the bases of the foregoing, we with the following as
the underpinning factors; anticipated risks, risk management action, perceived risk occurrence
period and personnel assigned to handle the situation. Table 1, matrix of possible risk and the
related actions and personnel to address them.
Table 1: Risk analysis and management strategy
S/
N
Risk Type
Possible point of
occurrence
Risk Reduction Strategy
Personne/Actors
Responsibilities
1
Deficiencies in
competence and
skills in the
project team.
Project Initiation
Stage.
Conduct SWOT on team
members.
Project Manager.
2
Availability of
patrons to
showcase
national culture.
Project
Implementation
stage.
Engage in Collaboration
with recognised student
organisations and
institutions.
All project team
(members) - with each
assigned a specific
reference contact.
3
Performances of
Project team (
active and
inactive
responses).
Throughout the entire
project lifetime.
Use various social media
platforms to prompt team
members.
Project Coordinator
4
Time Constraints
(Project design
and
implementation).
Throughout the
project timeline.
Integrate some components
within the implementation
stage
All project team
(members) - with each
assigned a specific
reference contact
5
Project funding.
Project
implementation stage.
1. with recognised student
organisation and institutions
for possible support.
All project team
(members) - with each
assigned a specific
reference contact.
2. Project will thrive on
voluntary participation
make project less capital
intensive
6
Time/Venue for
Project
implementation
and evaluation
Project
implementation stage.
1.Compress similar tasks in
project timeline,
2.Outsources(collaborate)
with leaders of the student
organisations to support..
All project team
(members) - with each
assigned a specific
reference contact