Global Forum on Intercultural Competence 2026

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Global Forum on Intercultural and Global Competence, UNESCO, 20-23 April 2026 (was held online; resources now available online).

At the 2026 Global Forum on Intercultural and Global Competence held online between 20 and 23 April 2026, UNESCO participated to share the breadth of its experience in intercultural dialogue – bringing together insights from youth-led initiatives, field-based work and concrete policy tools developed across education, social and human sciences, peacebuilding and the digital sphere.

At a time of increasing polarisation, rapid technological transformation and rising geopolitical tensions, the Forum focused on a question that is becoming increasingly concrete for policymakers: how do institutions work across difference?

The opening youth plenary made the gap between institutional expectations and practical support visible in concrete, grounded terms. Five young leaders from UNESCO’s Youth for Peace: Intercultural Leadership Programme – Charlotte Courtois (France), Juan Cristiani (Uruguay), Sarah Noble (Canada), Noor Jehan Docrat (South Africa), and Ahmed Essam Haroun (Egypt) — drew on projects spanning inclusive education, community health outreach, climate and environmental action, youth arts initiatives, and peacebuilding in local communities.

Despite having different contexts, the young leaders’ experiences converged. Establishing trust takes time. Misunderstandings are often structural, not just interpersonal. Dialogue works when it is sustained, not one-off. And in many cases, institutions expect these capacities to exist without providing the support to develop them.

The following day showed how these challenges are being translated into concrete resources for institutions and policymakers. In higher education, UNESCO presented More than Welcome: Intercultural Integration of Migrants in and through Higher Education as a framework universities can use directly. The focus is on what happens after access: how students interact, how teaching is organised, and how institutions connect with their wider communities. By setting out five practical principles, the initiative helps universities move from enrolling diverse students to creating environments where that diversity leads to exchange, learning and social cohesion.

In fragile and conflict-affected contexts, the Intercultural Dialogue for Conflict Transformation policy brief series addresses a distinct set of pressures. Developed with four leading peacebuilding partners and informed by more than 25 country case studies, the series demonstrates the value of embedding dialogic approaches in the design and implementation of peace processes. Across four dimensions of conflict transformation, namely social cohesion, prevention, transitional justice, and reconciliation, the briefs show, through concrete examples, how dialogue can help rebuild trust, address grievances and support locally led pathways to durable peace and social resilience.

CFP International Pragmatics Conference 2027 (Finland)

Conferences

Call for papers: International Pragmatics Conference, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, 27 June-2 July 2027. Deadline: posters/lectures: 15 October 2026.

The International Pragmatics Association (IPrA) has announced that the 2027 conference is now open for submissions of posters and lectures. (Submission of panels has already closed; submission of papers for accepted panels is not yet open.) Note that IPrA membership is required for submitting an abstract (with all deadlines in 2026) as well as for presenting during the conference (in 2027), and that membership always runs from 1 January to 31 December, no matter at what time in the year it is applied for.

In addition to the Presidential Address (Michael Haugh) and the plenary lectures to be delivered by the recipients of the John J. Gumperz Lifetime Achievement Award and the Innovation Award, the following plenary speakers are being scheduled (titles to be announced):

  • Akin Odebunmi (University of Ibadan, Nigeria)
  • Fred Dervin (University of Helsinki, Finland)
  • Maite Taboada (Simon Fraser University, Canada)
  • Michelle M. Lazar (National University of Singapore, Singapore)
  • Xinren Chen (Nanjing University, China)

Philipp Schwartz Initiative Fellowships (Germany)

Fellowships

Philipp Schwartz Initiative, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany. Deadline: 21 August 2026.

The Philipp Schwartz Initiative enables universities and research institutions in Germany to host researchers at risk on the basis of a full fellowship. Universities, universities of applied sciences and other research institutions in Germany can apply for funding from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to support threatened researchers. Scholars from non-EU countries exposed to significant and acute individual risks can be nominated. Please note that scholars must be nominated by institutions and cannot apply directly.

Successful institutions will receive funds to grant the nominated scholar research stays in the form of a research fellowship of up to 24 months. Successful institutions will also receive a lump sum intended
for measures to support Philipp Schwartz fellows in integrating and in re-starting their careers. An extension of up to 12 months can be granted in the framework of a co-financing model.

Organizers particularly wish to encourage higher education institutions across Germany that are interested in supporting at-risk scholars but have not yet done so, to consider an application. Scholars across all academic disciplines are supported by the Scholars at Risk Network and the Council for At-Risk Academics. These organizations may be able to assist your institution in identifying a candidate for whom nomination in the Philipp Schwartz Initiative might be a pivotal relief.

The following websites provide information on at-risk scholars who are currently seeking a host institution:

Scholars at Risk Network
Council for At-Risk Academics

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the programme director, Ms Cornelia Hörtner, senior programme coordinator Ms Katja Machacsek, or programme officers, Ms Judith Dömer-Warneke, Ms Sandra Grziwa, Ms Mashal Habib, Ms Bianca Schneemayer, Ms Mona Simon, and Ms Lena Vos who can be reached via schwartz-initiative@avh.de.

MultiDiverse: Erasmus Mundus Joint MA in Multilingualism & Cultural Diversity (Germany, Greece, Poland)

Graduate StudyMultiDiverse: Erasmus Mundus joint MA in multilingualism and cultural diversity, coordinated by University of Konstanz, Germany. Application deadline: fall 2026.

MultiDiverse is a multi-disciplinary highly integrated transnational Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) programme in Multilingualism and Cultural Diversity that brings together expertise from three EU universities and four disciplines in a complementary way. The programme is offered jointly by the University of Konstanz (Germany), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), and Jagiellonian University (Poland) with contributions by 16 associated partners from academic and non-academic organisations in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

MultiDiverse will train young talented people with a background in linguistics, education, psychology, or sociology on multilingualism and cultural diversity across disciplines to respond to the labour market needs within the academic and non- academic sectors, as well as societal needs. Students will obtain high-quality training, will become part of an international network, and will develop key competencies that can significantly improve their employability. Training in digital skills and science communication will enable them to raise awareness of the opportunities and challenges of multilingualism and cultural diversity at national and local levels. This can lead to a better understanding of multilingualism and cultural diversity by policymakers as well as the general public and can result in a better understanding and implementation of policies on multilingualism and cultural diversity in Europe and beyond.

NOTE: Several other Erasmus Mundus MA programs might prove relevant to some followers of the Center, including MITRA: International MA in Transnational Migrations, NOHA: Joint MA in International Humanitarian Action, or TELME – Teaching, designing, managing, foreign Language learning for a Multicultural and inclusive Environment.

KC112 Intercultural Nonverbal Communication Translated into Turkish

Key Concepts in ICDContinuing translations of Key Concepts in intercultural Dialogue, today I am posting KC112: Intercultural nonverbal communication, which Ping Yang wrote in 2024, and which İçten Duygu Özbek has now translated into Turkish.

As always, all Key Concepts are available as free PDFs; just click on the thumbnail to download the PDF. Lists organized chronologically by publication date and number, alphabetically by concept in English, and by languages into which they have been translated, are available, as is a page of acknowledgments with the names of all authors, translators, and reviewers.

KC112 Intercultural Nonverbal Communication translated into Turkish

Yang, P. (2026). Intercultural nonverbal communication [Turkish] (İ. D. Özbek, Trans.). Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, 112. Available from: https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/kc112-intercultural-nonverbal-communication_turkish.pdf

The Center for Intercultural Dialogue publishes a series of short briefs describing Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue. Different people, working in different countries and disciplines, use different vocabulary to describe their interests, yet these terms overlap. Our goal is to provide some of the assumptions and history attached to each concept for those unfamiliar with it. As there are other concepts you would like to see included, send an email to the series editor, Wendy Leeds-Hurwitz. If there are concepts you would like to prepare, provide a brief explanation of why you think the concept is central to the study of intercultural dialogue, and why you are the obvious person to write up that concept.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Columbia U: Education and Operations Coordinator for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution (USA)

“JobEducation and Operations Coordinator, Morton Deutsch International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution, Teachers College, Columbia University, NY, USA (Hybrid). Deadline: open until filled, opened 27 May 2026.

The Morton Deutsch International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution (MD-ICCCR) at Teachers College, Columbia University, is seeking a temporary part-time (27/hrs a week) professional, with an appointment through 9/1/2027 and the possibility of renewal, to coordinate its educational programs and support core operations.

This position will manage all course offerings, including core and elective courses, for-credit and non-credit certificates, internships, and executive education programs. The Education and Operations Coordinator will assume a coordination role, in partnership with the Curriculum Development Specialist, for ongoing curriculum reviews and revisions, to offer cutting-edge, scientifically based course content and current pedagogy. The role will also support and help grow the Center’s new executive education program, the Conflict Intelligence Lab. The educational offerings are focused on the dynamics of peace, conflict, social change, and social justice.

In addition, the role will support Center operations, including internal and external communications, website and social media management, event coordination, space management and facilities requests, and support students, faculty, partners, and prospective students.

Kindai U: Intercultural Understanding and Multicultural Coexistence (Japan)

“JobAssociate Professor or Lecturer of Intercultural Understanding and Multicultural Coexistence, Department of International Studies, Kindai University, Osaka, Japan. Deadline: 10 July 2026.

Kindai University is hiring a full-time teaching position, at the level of either an Associate Professor or Lecturer, in Intercultural understanding and multicultural coexistence for the Faculty of International Studies. The research field is expected to be within Humanities and Social Sciences, including: Cultural anthropology and folklore, Sociology, Area studies, or Education.

Expected courses include first-year introductory courses, *Understanding Other Cultures*, *Introduction to Global Coexistence Studies*, *Globalization and Cultural Contact*, *Cultural Diversity in Contemporary Japan*, and related subjects.
The successful candidate will engage in education, research, social contribution, and administrative duties based on the University’s founding principles and educational philosophy. Administrative duties include entrance examinations, the Common Test for University Admissions, and student recruitment activities such as high school visits, outreach lectures, and open campus events.

The successful candidate will also teach and supervise students in the Faculty, teacher-training programs, graduate school, and related programs, as well as perform other duties assigned by the University.

Applicants must be able to perform academic and administrative duties, including committee work, in Japanese. Applicants must also possess advanced English proficiency.

Fulbright Opportunities 2027-28

Fulbrights

Fulbright has announced open awards competitions for both US scholars to travel abroad, and international scholars to travel to the US. Deadlines vary by program.

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program is now open for applications with a deadline of 15 September 2026. The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program offers over 380 awards in more than 120 countries for U.S. citizens to teach, conduct research and carry out professional projects around the world.  College and university faculty, as well as artists and professionals from a wide range of fields can join over 400,000 Fulbrighters who have come away with enhanced skills, new connections, and greater mutual understanding.

For those outside the US, interested in a stay in the US, the Visiting Scholar Program is the obvious beginning point. In addition, the Scholar-in-Residence Program accepts applications from U.S. institution of higher education to host a scholar from outside of the United States for a semester or full academic year to teach courses, assist in curriculum development, guest lecture, develop study abroad/exchange partnerships and engage with the campus and the local community.

Observatório CREATOUR: CES-UBI Winter School 2026 (Portugal)

Study Abroad

Observatório CREATOUR: CES-UBI Winter School: Mapping culture, communities and landscapes to [re]generate future heritage, Wool Museum of the University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal, 13-17 October 2026. Deadline: 27 July 2026.

Cultural mapping serves as a bridge between tangible assets and the living narratives of a community. At its core, cultural mapping aims to make visible the ways that local cultural assets, stories, practices, relationships, memories, and rituals constitute places as meaningful locations, while bringing a diverse range of stakeholders into conversation about the local cultural dimensions and potentials. This CES-UBI Winter School focuses on combining cultural mapping methodologies to develop and apply a systemic approach to local development based on culture, creativity and regenerative tourism.

Covilhã is a UNESCO Creative City of Design, located on the slopes of the Serra da Estrela mountain. It offers a unique backdrop with a strong wool textile industry heritage, a rich labour union history, a wide natural landscape, and a lively contemporary arts scene. Participants will be immersed in Covilhã’s living nature-culture heritage landscape where a wool ecosystem has been developed for centuries. The programme directly addresses the region’s contemporary challenges, including the climate crisis (wildfires and severe storms) and socio-economic shifts like depopulation and aging, examining how regenerative planning can mitigate these impacts on the lived experience of smaller communities.

The programme is co-organised by the CREATOUR Observatory at CES, the iA* Arts Research Unit, the Wool Museum of the University of Beira Interior, and 4iS Inovação Social. The Winter School is hosted at the Wool Museum, an interdepartmental centre of the University of Beira Interior. Located in the former Royal Textile Factory, an 18th-century dyehouse, the museum exemplifies the city’s ability to repurpose industrial heritage for academic, artistic and cultural life.

This Winter School is a unique opportunity to enhance knowledge and to gain skills on cultural mapping and culture-based development. Throughout the five-day programme, participants will engage in a mix of site visits, local networking, learning seminars, and hands-on workshops, ending with an ideation and prototyping lab where attendees will actively engage in designing culture-tourism projects that address real-life local development issues, community needs, and expectations. Through these activities, participants will examine, discuss, and generate new ideas to enhance existing initiatives and inspire future projects, with a particular focus on regenerative approaches to culture and tourism that support broader local development in Covilhã.

The course concludes with a public presentation where participants share their curated project ideas with the local community. This collaborative output ensures that the knowledge generated during the school has a direct, visible connection to the people and places that inspired it.

Organizers welcome professionals from the private and public sectors (e.g., municipalities); policy-makers; graduate and PhD students and postdoctoral researchers in the social sciences, tourism, design, economics, or cultural management-related areas; and practitioners and planners working with culture and/or tourism strategies for local development.

Participants should have a good knowledge of English as the Winter School will be held in English and group work will be an essential component of the course, as well as an interest in one or more of the following areas: cultural development, urban regeneration, tourism management, or local development.

Communicating the Arts 2026 (Canada)

EventsCommunicating the Arts: Building trust, bridging worlds, Ottawa-13-16 October, 2026, Gatineau, Canada.

Communicating the Arts is heading to Canada’s Capital Region, bringing together 200 cultural leaders at the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum for three days of bold ideas, backstage access and dynamic conversation.

Under the theme “Building Trust, Bridging Worlds” (“Construire la Confiance, Rouvrir le Dialogue”), the conference explores how cultural institutions can foster connection, empathy, and understanding across communities and generations, especially in times of disruption or change.

Over four days of keynotes, panels, and workshops, cultural leaders and creative changemakers will examine four key subtopics shaping the future of culture:

1️⃣ Values & Mission – Redefining purpose and responding to social change.
2️⃣ Measuring Impact – Demonstrating cultural value through data and dialogue.
3️⃣ Digital Transformation – Using technology and AI to enhance creativity and participation.
4️⃣ Crisis Management – Leading with trust and resilience through uncertainty.