University Course Design and Multicultural Inclusion: A Mixed-Methods Study with Case Studies and Survey Analysis

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-472-3_16How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Multicultural Inclusion; Course Design; Higher Education; Survey Analysis; Diversity Equity Inclusion; Case Studies

Abstract

In the context of globalization, multicultural inclusion has become a critical imperative for higher education. This study adopts a mixed-methods approach to explore how university course design elements (multicultural content integration, cross-cultural group discussions, and faculty cultural sensitivity training) foster inclusive attitudes. Specifically, it incorporates three case studies (Harvard University, Stanford University, and the National University of Singapore), a survey of 200 students with diverse cultural backgrounds (37% Asian, 32.5% North American, 16.5% European, and 6% African), and analysis of a DEI dataset with 10,000 entries to triangulate findings.

Empirically, survey results reveal an average inclusion score of 3.88/5, with significant demographic variations: older students (31+ age group) reported the highest mean score (4.22), and minority students (e.g., African background) scored 4.01, out- performing North American students (3.83). Key course elements like faculty training in cultural sensitivity received the strongest student endorsement (Q6 mean = 3.98). Case studies further identified actionable practices, such as Harvard’s regional case integration, Stanford’s collaborative DEI projects, and NUS’s Asian-centric curriculum adaptations, all linked to improved student empathy.

Methodologically, the study advances mixed-methods research in higher education by combining qualitative case analysis (thematic coding of syllabi and testimonials), quantitative survey statistics, and DEI dataset correlations, addressing literature gaps in integrated empirical-theoretical inquiry.

Theoretically, it contributes to multicultural education frame- works by validating the impact of targeted course design on inclusion, bridging gaps between Western and Asian educational contexts and reinforcing UNESCO’s equity-focused paradigms. Despite limitations (e.g., overrepresentation of younger students [58% aged 18–21]), the findings offer policy implications for curriculum reform, emphasizing faculty training and culturally responsive content to build inclusive universities.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Ting Zhang
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/11/24
TI  - University Course Design and Multicultural Inclusion: A Mixed-Methods Study with Case Studies and Survey Analysis
BT  - Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Internet Technology and Educational Informatization (ITEI 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 162
EP  - 174
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-472-3_16
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-472-3_16
ID  - Zhang2025
ER  -