Why cultural competency in higher education must Be tailored
Lessons from Britain and France
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12928949 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ines Hassen-Dakhli, Hela Hassen (0000-0002-3002-3313, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-12 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Power and Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1757-7438 • E-ISSN: 1757-7438 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/17577438251411427 |
| OpenAlex | W7128704402 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 17 |
Cultural competency is widely recognised as essential in modern higher education, given the increasing prevalence of culturally diverse student bodies. However, turning that recognition into educational practices that align with the social and cultural realities of each country is challenging. This article argues that prevailing approaches to cultural competency often ignore the ideological frameworks in which they are embedded. Drawing on the contrasting cases of Britain and France, where celebratory multiculturalism and assimilationist republicanism, respectively, shape educational norms, we reveal how cultural engagement is too often constrained by national traditions. We advocate for a reconceptualisation of cultural competency as a dynamic, context-sensitive pedagogical practice rather than a universalised skillset. Grounded in the scholarship of critical pedagogy and intercultural learning, and speaking to an international audience of educators, this work calls for tailored, reflexive approaches that interrogate underlying assumptions and work towards genuinely inclusive and transformative educational experiences across diverse global settings
Cultural assimilation · Cultural competence · Cultural diversity · Cultural pluralism · Higher education · Ideology · Multiculturalism · Reflexivity · Scholarship · Transformative learning · Cultural Competency in Health Care · Global Education and Multiculturalism · International Student and Expatriate Challenges
Conceptualizing Intercultural Competence
Using Formal and Informal Curricula to Improve Interactions Between Home and International Students
The Challenge of Cultural Diversity in Greece
The New Neoliberal Cultural and Economic Dominant
As if by osmosis’
Two Decades of French Urban Policy
Antonio Gramsci and his Relevance for the Education of Adults
Identification and Assessment of Intercultural Competence as a Student Outcome of Internationalization
Racism, Crisis, Brexit
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |