Have You Discovered FutureLearn Yet?
A private company jointly owned by The Open University and The SEEK Group, FutureLearn is an excellent resource for free and paid-for courses at all levels.
In their words:
“We offer a diverse selection of courses from leading universities and cultural institutions from around the world. These are delivered one step at a time, and are accessible on mobile, tablet and desktop, so you can fit learning around your life.
We believe learning should be an enjoyable, social experience, so our courses offer the opportunity to discuss what you’re learning with others as you go, helping you make fresh discoveries and form new ideas.”
We’ve used FutureLearn ourselves and the following courses are currently available free of charge - they are great starting points in understanding your target market/s. Some of them have already started but you can still join and catch up in your own time.
Develop Your Cultural Intelligence
Discover the importance of cultural intelligence, or 'CQ', and find out how to improve your own cultural intelligence.
In a globalised world, workplaces are increasingly filled with a mix of people from a wide variety of places, with a mix of cultures. Good cultural intelligence (CQ) - the ability to work effectively across cultures - is vital.
On this course, you will learn about the key aspects of cultural intelligence and learn different methods for improving your own cultural intelligence. You will explore how cultural intelligence can make all the difference to effectiveness, performance and success in a multicultural and global environment.
futurelearn.com/courses/develop-cultural-intelligence
Intercultural Communication
Learn to appreciate, adjust to, and work or study in different cultures, with this free online intercultural communication course.
Whether you’re engaging in business across borders or cultural regions, meeting other people through international travel, working in a diverse, global organisation or studying abroad, you can benefit from a better understanding of intercultural communication.
This course will focus on the basic but important concepts. It will:
help you better understand cross-cultural complexity;
cultivate your awareness of your own and others’ cultural identities;
highlight some notable variations in communication styles and cultural values;
signpost paths towards building your intercultural competence.
The understanding and appreciation of cultural differences that you gain will help you adjust to the new cultural practices that come into your life - whether via the media or through interpersonal interactions.
You will learn with a cross-cultural team from Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), since its inception in 1949 which has become a leader in language and culture teaching.
futurelearn.com/courses/intercultural-communication
Cultures and Identities in Europe.
What does it mean to be European? Discover European cultures, identities and policies with this course.
Get a greater understanding of Europe and its people.
What is European identity? What do we understand and promote as European culture? On this course, you will answer these questions and others as you critically consider the formation of diverse identities and cultures in Europe.
You will explore fundamental European policies on culture, creativity and the media, and shed light on the importance of memories and shared heritage. You will also look at the policy behind European cultural and media industries and question current approaches to cultural creativity that rely heavily on economics.
Of course if you’re all set at this stage and ready to start with your translations, get in touch!
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