The Strathclyde Institute of Education recently welcomed a group of 18 third‑year students and their tutors from the Stenden University Institute of Teacher Education in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. This visit, the 3rd one, was coordinated by Inge Birnie and supported by a number of colleagues and provided the Dutch visitors with a rich introduction to Scottish society, culture and education. During their time in Scotland the group took part in a packed programme that included a visit to a local multi-cultural primary school, engaged with a community project, and took part in a range of workshops, classes and seminars to explore multilingualism and intercultural awareness. During the visits the Strathclyde students were able to connect with their peers from a different educational system, share perspectives and deepen their understanding of teaching in diverse cultural and societal contexts, including those where minority languages are part of the wider linguistic soundscape of the community (in this instance Scots and Gaelic).
