Cultural diversity is at the heart of VU. Our university community is made up of over 90 different cultures and more than 200 languages. In a sense, VU embodies the notion of superdiversity (Vertovec 2010).

VU is committed to creating a positive and constructive student experience by adopting an intercultural approach to our learning and teaching. We aim to ensure education is both inclusive and accessible to all students.

Our commitment reflects UNESCO's Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, which states that:

“cultural rights are an integral part of human rights”.

VU also supports Australian Government policies that reflect societal values and expectations around equity, accessibility and rights that encourage widening participation.

This suite of resources is part of the Intercultural Engagement and Cultural Diversity (IECD) initiative and focus specifically on the development of intercultural understandings and capabilities.

Related

An interculturally inclusive approach

We all come to the learning and teaching experience with a sense of our own cultural identity. VU's interculturally inclusive approach to educational practices recognises, appreciates and harnesses our individually rich social and personal experiences.

Embedding cultural understanding into the student experience is about responding to diversity, in all its forms, in a respectful manner. An active, intercultural approach extends further than just cultural awareness, it also takes into account knowledge formation, attitudes, openness and self-awareness.

The resources included here are designed to support staff to develop understanding, consider their own practice and pursue further discussion and inquiry.

Learning & teaching resources

The resources in this series are being developed and constantly updated to reflect current research and practices.

Additional resources