Understanding others

At university or in the workplace, there are many opportunities to meet and work with people from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. In order to make the most of these opportunities to understand others and build relationships, you need not only to look for common ground but also recognise and value people’s differences. This requires openness, in terms of having empathy and a willingness to engage with ideas, beliefs and values that may not be the same as yours, plus a commitment to increasing awareness of your own biases and assumptions and not allowing them to impede your growing understanding of others.