Developing the Intercultural Competence of Graduate Students

Abstract

This study explores how teaching development programs may facilitate the development of intercultural competence in graduate students and prepare them for communicating effectively in the global workplace after graduation. First, we describe the concept of intercultural teaching competence and examine the skills that graduate students may need to cultivate in order to communicate effectively in culturally diverse settings. Then, we discuss the findings of our qualitative study on the impact of teaching development programs enhanced with intercultural communication components. As a result of training, participants became more aware of cultural and disciplinary differences in communication, were able to adapt their communication style to audiences with different levels of background knowledge, and felt more prepared for interpersonal interactions across cultures with undergraduates. Finally, participants were able to transfer the skills learned to other areas of graduate study and used effective intercultural communication strategies when interacting with globally diverse peers and faculty supervisors.

Intercultural competence in higher education: academics’ perspectives

“…Acknowledging the role of HEI as agents of intercultural understanding and the need to embed an international and intercultural perspective in their overall activities (Egron-Polak and Hudson, 2014), results highlight a crucial issue concerning policy and practice in Portuguese universities: the need to recognize academics’ central role in intercultural education and, consequently, in institutions’ internationalization. Recognizing this role implies that universities take on the responsibility of contributing to the development of academics’ intercultural teaching competence (Deardorff, 2009; Dimitrov et al , 2014).…”

“…One of the most pressing concerns currently faced by higher education institutions (HEIs) is the development of transversal skills by students, in addition to technical and scientific ones, to enhance their integration in national and international job markets, their mobility and their ability to live in a diverse world (Deardorff, 2015; Griffith et al , 2016; Stier, 2006). In this framework, and in the context of a current rise in nationalism, populism and isolationist tendencies, the development of intercultural competence (IC) in higher education assumes a crucial significance as shown by extensive research (Deardorff, 2004, 2006; Deardorff and Jones, 2012; Dimitrov et al , 2014).…”

“…For them to fulfill this responsibility, they need to: become aware of the importance of developing their students’ IC (Ouellett, 2005); attain IC themselves (Cushner and Mahon, 2009; Deardorff, 2009); be supported by their institutions in the construction of clear educational policies that meet the development of IC (Hiller, 2010); have opportunities to explore IC frameworks and ways in which they can be translated into intercultural learning outcomes within the curricula (Gopal, 2011); and have training within intercultural skills programs to develop their intercultural teaching competence and to help them model and guide students’ IC development (Deardorff and Jones, 2012; Dimitrov et al , 2014). …”

“…have training within intercultural skills programs to develop their intercultural teaching competence and to help them model and guide students’ IC development (Deardorff and Jones, 2012; Dimitrov et al , 2014).…”

Intercultural Competence Development at Universities

“…There are different languages, cultures, cultural barriers in the world. Intercultural education influences school development (Dimitrov et al, 2014), university training (García-Pérez & Rojas-Primus, 2017Pinto, 2018), and learning practice (Huber, 2012).…”