BU Research Blog

As part of the UKIERI Virtual Exchange (organised by Dept. of Psychology and Global Engagement: Bournemouth University), on 14th October 2020, undergraduate Psychology Students interacted with students from Symbiosis School of Liberal Arts (SSLA) engaged in the UNESCO Story Circles. This event was planned to provide an opportunity for the stude

nts in this program to be able to share and connect As they would be participating in more education, professional and research seminars during this year!

UK and India students shared personal experiences in a professional context. They discovered that being in two different countries, they still share similar experiences. The sharing provided perspectives of how life experiences can be different. Keeping in mind the shared Covid – 19 experiences, which has almost initaited a more virtual way of interaction and realise who easily connections can be made.

Story Circles is a structured yet adaptable tool (described and documented by UNESCO) that allows participants to actually practice (or learn?) intercultural competences. This allows  participants to build emotional connections that may not occur through more traditional intercultural training. Because of participants’ emotional connection, this methodology tends to be more transformative than traditional training. Story Circles is a thoughtful process that involves a group of people sharing personal experiences in a circle often for purposes of mediation, restorative justice, and in the case of the UNESCO methodology, for developing intercultural competences. Storytelling is a cultural and social activity usually involving a broader audience for the purposes of entertainment, education, moral formation or cultural preservation.

This activity supports few UN Sustainable Goals…Quality Education (Goal 4), Gender Equality (Goal 5), and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (Goal 16).