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Monday
20th December:
Focus: The focus of this day was to
explore (from Swedish academy resources)
the development-orientation experiences.
Development orientations are crucial for
third world communities generally (and
African communities in particular) - in
both their own home neighbourhood societies
and also in the emerging market-driven
urban societies.
Both
the neighbourhood society and the
market-driven urban society live
side by side in almost all African cities.
This social reality also engulf residents
in European cities which have large ethnic
resident communities.
Henry
and James travelled to the town/city of
Eskilistuna, and to the Department of
Information Design and Product Development
of the Malardalen University College located
in that town/city. The host and discussion
partner was Mr Mohsen Hakim, lecturer
of Quality Technology. The three-dimension
of the University's life comprise of Teaching,
Research, and Collaboration.
Diversity as a Development Tool
We found that diversity was unavoidable.
We discussed 'Diversity as a tool to quality
development - and how to do things towards
that direction. Industry needs/uses this
approach, we noted.
Concept of Internationalisation
We noted that the Sweden has a concept
of internationalisation. The concept had
been adopted by campuses and other places
as a policy for social interaction, learning,
and customer services. There existed a
strong advocacy to adopted internationalisation
towards social activities in Sweden and
also towards the utilisation of the presence
of Africans and other non-Swedish nationals
in a positive, learning way. That calls
for integration in a two-way process.
Mr.
Hakim spoke of the new acceptance in Sweden
society to the concept of internationalisation.
Within that, we also explored how African
nationals in Sweden might become learning
resources for University students professions,
and developers.
Examples/Models
We also noted the efforts, of the European
Association for International Education
in Netherlands and the Wolcester Polytechnic
Institute in Massuchussetts, USA.
Back to Vesteras
We then returned to Vestaras to visit
the local government (communes) offices
and the regional offices. Both were housed
in the same block of buildings - at the
centre of the city.
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At
the Malardalen University College 
