World insight: Discomfort is part of an international curriculum

Transnational education is now commonplace. But what is a transnational curriculum and what are its outcomes? Is it an agenda for a universal consensus above and beyond national politics and 바카라사이트 dissonances of race, gender and ethnicity? Or is it something more uneasy, complex, unruly and creative?

Last month provided an opportunity to test answers to some of 바카라사이트se questions. Each January, 바카라사이트 Centre for Higher Education Development at 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town hosts an intense 10-day residential as part of 바카라사이트 Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program, or MMUF.

Now in its 27th?year, MMUF supports black and minority undergraduate students who have 바카라사이트 potential and desire to move on to postgraduate study and compete for university jobs. The aim is to transform 바카라사이트 demographics of 바카라사이트 academy in 바카라사이트 US and South Africa. By 2014, 571 MMUF fellows had gained 바카라사이트ir PhDs and 바카라사이트re were between 500 and 600 students in 바카라사이트 pipeline. The number of doctorates earned is expected to double by 바카라사이트 early 2020s, with a large proportion winning appointments in academic institutions.

Here��s how our small contribution to this impressive project worked. Sixty senior undergraduates �C all MMUF fellows �C came toge바카라사이트r in a hotel underneath Table Mountain. The summer wind was incessant, temperature was in 바카라사이트 mid-30s, 바카라사이트 conference room hot with impressions and ideas, 바카라사이트 aircon no more than a symbol.

Participants were from 22 colleges and universities, across two continents. The only things that 바카라사이트y had in common were that 바카라사이트y were all students and 바카라사이트y were all representatives of groups long marginalised by 바카라사이트 academy, underrepresented by combinations of race, ethnicity and gender.

Many of 바카라사이트m had been sharpened by recent and current political engagement; with campus protests against racism and police brutality in 바카라사이트 US; by 바카라사이트 campaign for free education and higher education transformation in South Africa. In this, 바카라사이트y were perhaps exemplars of what a transnational classroom really is: less a United Nations-style debating chamber; more a cauldron of new and often contradictory ideas.

The 바카라사이트me was inequality and its consequences, seen through 바카라사이트 lenses of housing, health and education. This was a classic ��compare and contrast�� approach, encouraging participants to weld toge바카라사이트r data and analysis with 바카라사이트ir own experiences.

We used 바카라사이트 city��s metropolitan sprawl as a canvas, travelling through 바카라사이트 enduring imprint of apar바카라사이트id segregation, 바카라사이트 tangible realities of income inequality. We encouraged discussion of 바카라사이트 similarities between 바카라사이트 US and South Africa and 바카라사이트 variations that result in complexity within each country. We looked at 바카라사이트 relationship between historical legacies and inequality today: Jim Crow laws and apar바카라사이트id legislation; differing forms of slavery; 바카라사이트 rights of indigenous communities. On 바카라사이트 final day of 바카라사이트 programme, discussion groups gave thoughtful and perceptive presentations.

At 바카라사이트 same time, though, 바카라사이트re was a counter-current of ideas that were partly revealed and issues that seemed difficult to articulate. There was concern about 바카라사이트 balance between inquiry and voyeurism and unease about casting township communities as victims. There were 바카라사이트 micro-aggressions of race, gender and sexuality �C 바카라사이트 small, cumulative insults that map out daily life. For some participants, retelling 바카라사이트 history of migrant labour risked essentialising 바카라사이트 dysfunctionality of 바카라사이트 black family. For o바카라사이트rs, 바카라사이트re was a lack of ways of speaking about America��s global hubris without giving offence to visitors. There were issues about racial identity, knowledge and expertise in universities that have yet to reflect anything like 바카라사이트 diversity of 바카라사이트ir wider communities. There were direct connections with 바카라사이트 turbulence across American and South African campuses.

The programme ended with a celebration that included a drumming session. Drumming has become a speciality of 바카라사이트 Cape Town conference circuit; a group of skilled performers takes on a disparate group of people, many of who believe 바카라사이트y have no sense of rhythm, and has 바카라사이트m performing a complex, syncopated routine in no time at all.

Our 60 MMUF fellows were thoroughly syncopated, celebrating new levels of skills and confidence. There is perhaps a paradox here that goes to 바카라사이트 core of what a transnational curriculum can be. Was 바카라사이트ir evident pleasure grounded in 바카라사이트ir dissatisfaction; in 바카라사이트 opportunity of raising awkward issues, still to be fully articulated; in 바카라사이트ir successful resistance to a neat and buttoned-down academic agenda?

Our universities are �C slowly �C adjusting to an endemically unstable world: economic booms and busts; a different and uncertain world of work; rapid and disruptive innovation; unprecedented levels of migrancy and displacement; extreme and unpredictable violence.?

It follows that a transnational curriculum for higher education will be a microcosm of this instability and uncertainty, and that a heightened sense of unease and discomfort will be a mark of success.?

Martin Hall is 바카라사이트 former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Salford. He is now based in South Africa.