All things intercultural have ultimately to do with the encounters between human beings. We are all equipped with differing ages, genres, cultures, worldviews and religions, ethnic backgrounds and such, trying to succeed in the outcome whether in business, education, politics or everyday life. Finland makes no exception in the global context in the rapidly growing need to graduate interculturally competent health and social care workers to meet the demands of a diversifying and pluralistic society. Teachers in upper secondary vocational colleges of Health and Social Care face new challenges in the increasingly diverse teaching and training contexts and are struggling to meet the demands of intercultural sensitivity within their professional competence.

It is not easy to define such elusive terms as competence vs. in-competence, cultural or multi-cultural vs. inter-cultural, all of which take on different meanings depending on the contexts where sensitivity or competence is expected. (Deardorff, 2009) There is a need to further clarify the concepts involved with the nature of interculturality and to identify what is intercultural competence. My intention with this study is to take part in this much-needed discussion and to provide new information from the point of view of teachers in upper secondary vocational education and training in Health and Social care.

The doctoral research is based on data that was collected for a study on upper secondary vocational teachers in Health and Social Care education in the capital area of Helsinki. The initial results of the study will be published by Palmenia, Helsinki University Center of Continuing Education, in Sept. 2012. The initial study is a part of a larger project that seeks to find culturally informed resolutions to further the education and employment of young people and immigrants in the field of social and health care. The intent is to clarify the current state and needs of intercultural sensitivity as a phenomenon within the upper secondary vocational teachers’ professional expertise. The long-term aim is to help boost finishing the education, to ease and further employment, and to help stay employed, and as such, to help prevent marginalization.

Research questions:

1.      What is the current state and nature of intercultural sensitivity of upper secondary vocational teachers in the colleges of health and social care occupations in the capital area of Helsinki?

2.      What is the vocational teachers’ level of cultural self-awareness and their socio-cultural awareness as part of their professional competence?

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