King’s College London Celebrates Staff Contributions to Shaping Cultural Competency

King’s Cultural Competency Unit (CCU) expressed its thanks to staff members who volunteered to peer-review the Cultural Competency Programme for Staff, a training series co-created with colleagues from across the University.

At a celebration event on 25 March, Director of the CCU Dr Shuangyu Li gave an overview of the unit from its conceptualisation to its achievements for students and staff, expressing his gratitude to colleagues for their involvement.

Dr Kyriaki Koukouraki, Lecturer in EAP & Cultural Competency Education, described the journey of co-creating the staff programme with supportive colleagues based in different Faculties.

Professor ‘Funmi Olonisakin, Vice President (International, Engagement & Service) and senior sponsor of the project, reflected on how the cultural competency programme has evolved from her original vision to “build a fantastic international strategy… (and) add value by helping the university interpret where it’s headed, to make the world a better place.” She commended the team for their achievements so far in successfully shaping cultural competency as a core value as part of the Internationalisation agenda.

Attendees discussed ideas for future university-wide action, including how to establish “a seamless connection between King’s and abroad” by learning from the lens of others in all their diversity.

The CCU offers an eight-hour, self-paced, asynchronous E-Learning training programme that aims to empower King’s diverse staff community to create culturally competent work cultures, and shape teaching, learning, and service delivery.

Staff received certificates and gift vouchers from Dr Koukouraki as a token of appreciation for their pivotal role in developing the programme.