Students from over 20 different countries are currently enrolled at Arbutus College, and this diversity is something that Arbutus College has always worked for and celebrated. Classroom discussion becomes more meaningful because of the variety of perspectives shared. Social events become more interesting because of the differences in students’ experiences and personalities. Campus life becomes more vibrant because of the mixture of distinct cultures.
Arbutus College has seen the following benefits to students because of its diverse community:
- Creative collaboration
When students of different backgrounds work together, critical thinking and solutions-driven discussions are exercised better. The interplay of alternative mindsets among students encourages deeper conversation and facilitates more idea-generation.
- Global engagement
Students are exposed to a global, multicultural setting early on. When they land careers in the world’s biggest companies in the future, their experience dealing with different cultures will be very useful, especially that the 21st-century work environment has been about transcending national boundaries.
- Intercultural empathy
Closely related to global engagement, exposure to and making connections with other nationalities foster a cosmopolitan attitude among students that leads to understanding and empathy. These values are important for students to develop since a lot of the world’s problems require a keen understanding of apparent, but resolvable differences to be addressed properly.
While Arbutus’ programs equip students with important knowledge and skills for the workplace, its diverse community prepares them to become global, open-minded professionals for the 21st-century market. After all, to work in one’s chosen industry and in one’s own country is one thing. To work with anyone, anywhere is another.
