Storytelling Across Borders: A Journey of Intercultural Leadership

Andrew Osborne’s academic journey began unexpectedly. In 2019, he left his home in Saskatchewan for British Columbia to support his wife’s graduate studies. Little did he know this move would open doors to intercultural education and leadership opportunities at SFU. 

"I hadn't imagined doing a graduate degree," Andrew recalls of his decision to pursue an MEd in Educational Leadership: Post-Secondary. "I was working at SFU at the time when my colleagues encouraged me to apply. Their support gave me the confidence to pursue it."

UNESCO Story Circles: A Tool for Intercultural Dialogue

During the program, Andrew was introduced to UNESCO Story Circles, a method developed by intercultural communication expert Darla Deardorff. Now working as an instructor at Douglas College, he saw its potential for deepening student engagement.

"My intercultural communication hero, Darla Deardorff, designed this methodology to be low-barrier, communicative and highly engaging," Andrew explains. "I now make Story Circles integral to all my intercultural communication courses because they help develop cultural empathy through storytelling." 

The program also deepened Andrew's understanding of leadership and pedagogy. "Dr. Gillian Judson's work on imagination in leadership inspired me to see Story Circles in a new light, appreciating them as not just dialogue, but as a space for planting seeds of cultural empathy," Andrew reflects.  

Balancing Roles: Student and Educator 

Juggling full-time roles as an educator and student was challenging. Andrew shares: "Balancing both wasn’t easy and required focus and planning. But being a student was a humbling experience as it helped me relate better to my students, encouraging lifelong learning.”  

The program’s cohort model was crucial in helping him manage. "The cohort provided me with stability and an exceptional support network," he says. "While I can’t replicate it at work, I try to instill in my students a sense of community—that they are their cohort for the semester and can be a vital support system for one another.”

From SFU to Indonesia: Leading UNESCO Story Circles

In August 2024, Andrew took UNESCO Story Circles to Airlangga University in Surabaya, Indonesia, as part of the University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific (UMAP) Discovery Camp. The camp’s theme, “Life Below Water,” focused on marine sustainability, with Andrew facilitating intercultural storytelling for over 120 post-secondary students from across the Asia-Pacific region.

The experience reaffirmed Andrew's belief in intercultural communication's role in addressing global challenges. "Sustainability requires cross-cultural dialogue. Story Circles provide a simple, accessible way to support that."

Returning to Saskatchewan 

A month after Indonesia, Andrew returned to his home province of Saskatchewan to lead a workshop at the University of Regina, his alma mater. Collaborating with the Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation (SCIC), Andrew facilitated Story Circles focused on Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality.

"It was wonderful to return to my alma mater," Andrew says. "Unlike Indonesia, most participants were teachers or university staff, but the willingness to share and learn stayed the same. That's the beauty of UNESCO Story Circles—they work in any cultural context."​

Although the group was smaller than expected, Andrew found the experience rewarding. "The sharing was rich, and the participants reflected on how gender stereotypes had shaped their perspectives." 

Looking Ahead 

As Andrew approaches his convocation, he reflects on his journey. "Completing the MEd program in the Faculty of Education has been one of the highlights of my life," he says. "It gave me the confidence to pursue my passion for intercultural education and storytelling in ways I hadn't imagined."​

Looking forward, Andrew plans to continue using Story Circles in his teaching and expand the program's reach within higher education. "I'll present my work at the Canadian Bureau of International Education Conference in Ottawa this November. I'm excited to share how Story Circles can foster intercultural empathy and communication in Canadian higher education."

For Andrew, the journey is far from over. Whether in classrooms, workshops, or conference halls, he remains committed to using storytelling to build a more inclusive and sustainable world.