HomeBuilding Community in Higher Education: Interculturality as a Driver of Integration, Recognition, and Belonging

Building Community in Higher Education: Interculturality as a Driver of Integration, Recognition, and Belonging

Faire communauté dans l’enseignement supérieur : l’interculturalité comme levier d’intégration, de reconnaissance et d’appartenance

Hacer comunidad en la educación superior: La interculturalidad como motor de integración, de reconocimiento y de pertenencia

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Published on Monday, May 11, 2026

Abstract

Le colloque organisé à l’université Clermont Auvergne (Clermont-Ferrand, France) les 25, 26 et 27 novembre 2026 propose de croiser retours d’expériences, analyses de dispositifs, et apports théoriques afin d’interroger ce que signifie « faire communauté dans l’enseignement supérieur » dans un contexte d’internationalisation. Il s’agira d’explorer comment l’interculturalité peut être pensée non seulement comme un objectif, mais comme un processus structurant des politiques, des pratiques pédagogiques et des formes de vie institutionnelle. Nous invitons les chercheurs et chercheuses issus de différents champs disciplinaires et les praticien·nes à proposer des communications, en français, en anglais ou en espagnol.

Announcement

Université Clermont Auvergne (FRANCE) – November 25-27, 2026 

Argument

In an international context marked by the rise of identity-based withdrawal, geopolitical tensions, and political discourses emphasizing border closure and protection, the dynamics of openness and circulation that have long structured the academic sphere are increasingly being called into question. Student and scholarly mobility—historically central to the production and dissemination of knowledge—now take place within social and political environments sometimes shaped by distrust toward otherness.

In this context, higher education institutions (HEIs) appear more than ever as spaces in which forms of intercultural dialogue, cooperation, and mutual understanding can be cultivated. However, the internationalization of higher education cannot be reduced to a mere juxtaposition of administrative, pedagogical, or support mechanisms developed in isolation. Working separately on the reception of international audiences is no longer sufficient: the challenge now is to build community by creating relational and symbolic spaces in which everyone can feel recognized, legitimate, and fully part of both the institution and its surrounding territory. This ambition requires moving beyond a unidirectional logic of reception toward reciprocal dynamics of interaction, in which international participants and local communities alike contribute to the co-construction of practices, meanings, and shared forms of belonging.

From this perspective, interculturality constitutes a central conceptual framework. It does not merely refer to the coexistence of diverse cultures, but to processes of interaction and coconstruction of shared meanings, practices, and values through ongoing dialogue between individuals and collectives. The integration of international students, faculty members, teacherresearchers, researchers, and administrative staff thus involves reciprocal interactions in which institutional, academic, and territorial cultures are themselves questioned and transformed.

The conference, organized at Université Clermont Auvergne (Clermont-Ferrand, France) on November 25–27, 2026, aims to bring together experience-based insights, analyses of initiatives, and theoretical contributions in order to examine what it means to “build community in higher education” in a context of internationalization. It will explore how interculturality can be understood not only as an objective, but also as a structuring process shaping policies, pedagogical practices, and institutional ways of life.

We invite scholars and practitioners from a wide range of disciplines to submit proposals, in French, English, or Spanish, related to one of the following thematic areas:

Theme 1 — Internationalization of Higher Education and the Reconfiguration of Academic Communities

In a context of profound transformation in higher education—marked by the intensification of student and scholarly mobility, the structuring of international cooperation, and the emergence of new European frameworks—higher education institutions (HEIs) are led to rethink their internationalization strategies and revisit their models. In particular, they are increasingly incorporating practices associated with “internationalization at home,” which aims to valorize the cultural and academic diversity present on campuses and to make the presence of international students a resource for the entire community.

At the same time, institutions are redefining their internationalization strategies under the influence of multiple dynamics, including public policies, European programs, academic competitiveness, and international attractiveness. These orientations also rely on incentive mechanisms such as funding schemes, academic recognition, mobility programs, and largescale projects. This has notably contributed to the emergence of European university alliances, which are reshaping frameworks of cooperation by encouraging the development of transnational academic spaces and encouraging institutions to operate on a broader scale.

This first theme seeks to analyze the relationships between institutional strategies, internationalization policies, and the transformation of academic communities, highlighting the conditions under which these policies may contribute to structuring new forms of academic collectives.

Theme 2 — Mediations, Practices, and Experiences of “Building Community”

In an increasingly internationalized and diverse university context, the mere coexistence of groups with different cultural, linguistic, and academic backgrounds is not sufficient to promote a genuine sense of community. Institutions must not only welcome international students but also promote integration, participation, and mutual recognition. A sense of belonging to the academic community relies on concrete interactions, mediation mechanisms, and practices that enable the co-construction of shared meaning. These processes encompass both communicational and symbolic mediations (institutional discourses, collective narratives, initiatives highlighting individual contributions) and more operational and cultural practices (sports, cultural, or associative activities, mentoring, peer support, volunteering), which create everyday opportunities for encounter and cooperation.

Furthermore, the construction of belonging is no longer confined to formal institutional spaces. It unfolds across a plurality of settings, practices, and interactions that often extend beyond institutional boundaries. Forms of community thus develop outside the strict framework of the university, within territorial, associative, or transnational spaces, including local partnerships, civic engagement, hybrid mobility schemes, and inter-institutional collaborations.

Finally, within the context of internationalization and European alliances, these practices raise specific challenges: how can community be built when collectives are geographically dispersed or embedded in transnational arrangements? How can institutional strategies and values be translated into lived and shared experiences for all members?

This second theme focuses on the operational dimension: rather than solely analyzing concepts or strategies, it aims to examine the mechanisms, practices, and interactions through which community is effectively built, and how they shape everyday experiences and senses of belonging.

Theme 3 — Digital Environments and University Communities

Digital technologies are reshaping the boundaries of university communities by enabling interactions that transcend geographical and institutional constraints. They contribute to the emergence of extended communities distributed across multiple spaces (local, national, and international).

Within the framework of European alliances, these digital environments play a structuring role: they support joint programs, hybrid mobility, and everyday interactions among actors from partner institutions. As such, they become key spaces for experimenting with new forms of “building community” at a distance and on a transnational scale, by articulating institutional dynamics, pedagogical practices, and everyday uses of digital tools. However, these transformations are not self-evident and raise a central question: under what conditions do digital environments enable the construction of sustainable forms of sociability, engagement, and belonging within transnational academic communities, and what limits or tensions do these dynamics reveal?

This third theme aims to analyze the conditions under which these digital dispositifs do – or do not – contribute to the development of sustainable ties, forms of sociability, and a shared sense of belonging, by examining how digital environments contribute (or not) to the construction of expanded academic communities, with a focus on the practices, uses, and experiences they make possible.

Theme 4 — Limits, Inequalities, and Tensions in “Building Community” in Intercultural Contexts

While interculturality is often considered a driver of integration and cohesion, its practical implementation faces a range of constraints, resistances, and inequalities that must be critically examined. Internationalization policies, including those developed within European alliances, are grounded in principles of openness, cooperation, and mobility; however, their appropriation by stakeholders remains uneven and sometimes problematic.

Challenges related to language barriers, disparities in intercultural competencies, professional constraints, and social inequalities may hinder the effective participation of both students and staff. Likewise, certain institutional imperatives toward internationalization can generate tensions between strategic objectives and on-the-ground realities.

This fourth theme adopts a critical perspective on “building community,” highlighting the conditions, limitations, and differentiated effects of implemented dispositifs, both at the local level and within transnational configurations such as European alliances.

This conference seeks to open a space for dialogue between researchers and practitioners on the concrete conditions of “building community” in an academic world that is simultaneously globalized, digitalized, and shaped by tensions. Through the questions raised across its four themes, it aims to examine contemporary transformations in higher education in the context of internationalization and intercultural dynamics. Particular attention to European university alliances, internationalization at home initiatives, and transnational as well as extrainstitutional spaces invites us to move beyond a strictly localized understanding of academic communities in order to grasp their contemporary reconfigurations.

This conference is held within the framework of the annual commemoration organized by Université Clermont Auvergne in tribute to the victims of the roundup that took place in Clermont-Ferrand on November 25, 1943. This event, which left a lasting mark on both academic and local history, serves as a reminder that academic spaces can also be shaped by dynamics of exclusion, persecution, and the breakdown of social bonds. By situating this conference within this memorial context, the aim is to reaffirm the importance of conceiving the university as a space that resists discrimination, embraces otherness, and supports the construction of a shared common ground. Reflecting on “building community” thus takes on both a scientific and ethical dimension, inviting us to examine the conditions under which higher education institutions can promote inclusive forms of belonging grounded in recognition, solidarity, and respect for diversity.

Planned Publication

A selection of papers presented at the conference will be considered for publication in the journal K@iros. After the conference, authors will be invited to submit an extended version of their contribution for inclusion in a dedicated issue of the journal. Selected papers will undergo a rigorous peer-review process in accordance with established academic standards (doubleblind review).

Participation Details

The conference will be held in person on November 25–27, 2026, at the Maison des Sciences Humaines, 4 rue Ledru, in Clermont-Ferrand (France).

There is no registration fee. Lunch will be provided for presenters.

Submission Guidelines

Proposals, in English, French, or Spanish, should take the form of an abstract of approximately 500 words. Two types of contributions are invited:

  • Research-oriented proposals should clearly state the research objective, the research question, and the theoretical framework. Authors should also present the empirical field, the methodology, and the main results obtained or expected. The conference theme in which the proposal is included will be specified.
  • Experience-based contributions (including presentations of initiatives, programs, or professional practices) are also welcome. While these proposals do not necessarily require an explicit theoretical framework, they should describe the way the initiative was carried out, its objectives, implementation modalities, and the main insights derived from the experience. 

Each proposal must be accompanied by a short biographical note presenting the author(s).

Proposals should be sent to the following address: colloque.msh@uca.fr 

Expected schedule

  • June 12, 2026  Proposals due
  • June 26, 2026   Notification to the authors
  • August, 30 2026  Confirmation of attendance at the conference
  • November 25-27, 2026 Conference. Distribution of the editorial guidelines for the journal K@iros
  • December 15, 2026  Deadline for receipt of articles for submission to the journal K@iros (prior to the journal’s peer-review process)

Event attendance modalities

Full on-site event


Date(s)

  • Friday, June 12, 2026

Keywords

  • Internationalisation de l’enseignement supérieur, interculturalité, faire communauté, communauté académique, internationalisation à domicile, environnement numérique universitaire, inclusion, inégalité sociale

Contact(s)

  • CECILIA BRASSIER
    courriel : cecilia [dot] brassier [at] uca [dot] fr

Information source

  • CECILIA BRASSIER
    courriel : cecilia [dot] brassier [at] uca [dot] fr

License

CC0-1.0 This announcement is licensed under the terms of Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal.

To cite this announcement

« Building Community in Higher Education: Interculturality as a Driver of Integration, Recognition, and Belonging », Call for papers, Calenda, Published on Monday, May 11, 2026, https://doi.org/10.58079/16733

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