Intercultural Capability

Watch now: To find out more about this curriculum area, watch ‘Understanding the Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0, Capabilities’ on the Resources page.

Rationale and Aims

Rationale

Intercultural interactions are a part of everyday life in our increasingly multicultural and globalised world. Intercultural knowledge and skills are therefore essential parts of living and working in the diverse world of the 21st century. By developing these, the Intercultural Capability curriculum fosters in students the confidence to actively contribute to the prosperity and health of Australian society.

The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration recognises the fundamental role that education plays in promoting and contributing to ‘a socially cohesive society that values, respects and appreciates different points of view and cultural, social, linguistic and religious diversity’. The Intercultural Capability curriculum addresses this role, supporting students to become responsible local, national and global citizens, equipped for living and working together in an increasingly interconnected world, appreciating Australia’s social, cultural and worldview diversity.

The Intercultural Capability curriculum enables students to learn to value diverse cultures, including their own. Students learn about different cultures in ways that recognise commonalities and differences, create intercultural connections and cultivate mutual respect. It also fosters greater awareness of diverse worldviews, developing a capacity for critical engagement with the benefits and challenges associated with building and maintaining social cohesion in a society of diverse cultures and worldviews.

Aims

The Intercultural Capability curriculum aims to develop the knowledge and skills that will enable students to:

• demonstrate an awareness of the role culture plays in identity and a sense of belonging and inclusion in society
• critically reflect on how community institutions and intercultural experiences influence attitudes, values and beliefs
• recognise the importance of respect for and appreciation of cultural and worldview diversity for creating and maintaining a cohesive community
• become responsible local, national and global citizens, living and working together in an interconnected world.