Serious games for intercultural skills: Harnessing horizontal and vertical asymmetries in expertise and diversity across the curriculum

Master’s students often have limited opportunities to apply the expertise they develop, and when it does happen it usually is within their own group (i.e., their course peers). They are rarely challenged to instruct, moderate, or coach others. Similarly, local and international Bachelor’s students hardly interact with one another to practice intercultural communication skills, as also recognized by elected representatives (i.e., school council). There clearly is untapped potential for meaningful intercultural contact to develop intercultural communication skills. We therefore set up a vertical (Master/Bachelor) and horizontal (Bachelor/Bachelor) structural interaction between local (Dutch) and international Bachelor’s courses and a Master’s level course. Students meet in newly designed roleplaying exercises to build basic intercultural skills relevant for their future careers by interacting with horizontal peers from diverse backgrounds. The exercises take place in specific negotiation and mediation settings to ensure that learning transfer can occur (i.e., applying knowledge). These games are facilitated by Master’s students who received additional training, so they can apply and develop their advanced intercultural skills and group management expertise in a real setting, with real cultural diversity (vertical peers). We have executed this practical course element for two years in a row, initially in an online-only format (20-21), then in a blended course with in-person game sessions (21-22). We report on the development, uptake, and effectiveness of these exercises, and discuss their potential and importance within modern curricula.