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Plenty of opportunities exist to study and work abroad. But some early-career scientists might face challenges adjusting to different communication styles and different workplace and academic hierarchies.
It is important both to be sensitive to cultural differences and to avoid inadvertently stereotyping; also, assumptions should not be made about students solely on the basis of their culture. A wealthy Chinese student from Hong Kong, for example, could see things differently from one who comes from a rural area on the mainland. And individual perceptions can vary too: one student may personally encounter directness more often in the United Kingdom than in the United States, but others might not have experienced this. The relationship between researcher and supervisor is influenced by many factors including personality, previous experiences and the workplace culture.
One point of difference that can arise is the appropriate level of deference to supervisors. Some Nigerian, Egyptian and Chinese international students report that, in their home nations, a large power differential between students and teachers is common, and that students generally follow instructions without arguing. But a supervisor from a country where debate is expected might sometimes incorrectly interpret a lack of questioning from the student as a lack of interest in the work. The absence of a strictly defined hierarchy can encourage freer communication, says Salim Reza, a radiation-detector scientist. When he moved from his native Bangladesh to Sweden for graduate studies, he learnt that he did not need to address faculty members as ‘sir’ or ‘professor’ or remain standing in their offices. This informality made it easier for him to approach professors to clarify a topic or to propose a new research ∠.
Sometimes, though, misunderstandings can stem from differences in communication style. In some countries, the ‘feedback sandwich’ is common: start with praise, suggest improvements and end with encouragement. Students from countries where this format is less common might think that, because comments were mostly positive, the suggestions are optional and can be ignored. Conversely, a student who is accustomed to gentler feedback might be ‘traumatized’ by cultural tendencies in other countries, such as Germany or the Netherlands, to give more direct criticism. Senior researchers could smooth over differences by freely discussing how the student prefers to receive comments. Students could also talk to lab mates about the feedback; hearing others’ stories could help them overcome discouragement.
Whether they are welcoming international students or starting work in new countries, scientists can ease the transition by remaining non-judgemental. People sometimes brush off a student from another country as ‘rude’, but “in their culture, they’re not”. Researchers should also remember that their nation’s customs aren’t necessarily best. “When you come from a small country, you don’t assume everybody should be doing things your way,” says a Croatian student. “I never cared if somebody was different than me as long as it didn’t seriously affect the rest of the lab.”
(Roberta Kwok. www.nature.com, 23.05.2018. Adaptado.)
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