The overall objective of the CQ+ project is to address polarization in Europe by supporting adult learners of all ages, abilities, professions and background to develop their cultural intelligence and appreciation and tolerance of diversity. We achieve this through the development of a comprehensive package of training supports that address adult educators as the facilitators of community-based, informal and non-learning and learning resources that directly engage adult learners interested in developing their cultural intelligence. The business case for promoting diversity and inclusion has never been more compelling as we emerge from a post-COVID era, as ultimately having more diverse communities and organisations and building inclusive cultures through the development of citizen-level cultural intelligence is in the end about addressing inequality, which is a central tenet of the new Erasmus+ Programme and EU social policy. We live in a world with exponentially increasing connectivity across all sectors, communities, businesses, classrooms and individuals alike. With global collaboration becoming progressively instrumental for social and economic success, cultural intelligence is now more important than ever in our daily lives.
The CQ+ Project Consortium embarked on a mission to enhance cultural intelligence (CQ) across Europe, recognizing culture as a defining aspect that shapes behavior, belonging, motivation, and efficacy. CQ surpasses cultural sensitivity, emphasizing the skills essential for successful navigation of diverse cultural contexts. With European identity grounded in cultural diversity, the project aimed to cultivate tolerance and CQ skills among citizens amidst rising racism, xenophobia, and hate crimes. The imperative to counteract division and protect values of peace and acceptance fueled the consortium's determination. Identifying an unmet need, the project focused on creating targeted educational materials for citizens and adult learners to develop CQ, countering racism and prejudice. To facilitate this, a CQ+ in-service training program for adult educators was devised, integrating CQ as a continuous skill requiring improvement. The program addressed pedagogic practices and didactic skills for online learning environments, aligning with the central needs of enhancing cultural understanding and combating intolerance.