Thriving in Indonesian Academia: French Students’ Intercultural Communication Competence in Studying Abroad

Abstract

To gain international recognition, many universities in Indonesia offer international student exchange programs, one of which is the credit transfer program. Participants in that program have differences in communicative competence. That holds for Indonesian students studying abroad and vice versa. This study analyzes the intercultural communication skills of international students and aims to acquire comprehensive information on intercultural competencies based on the students’ intercultural sensitivity, awareness and adroitness. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted among international students at one university in Indonesia, involving six French students from the student exchange program who studied for one semester. The data was obtained via focused group discussion and interviews. Chen and Starosta's intercultural competence model was used as an analytical tool. The findings indicate that the students have proper intercultural communication competence, which helps them in implementing their communication strategies, adjusting to and thriving in a new cultural and academic environment.

Developing Intercultural Competences in the Study-Abroad Programme Semester at Sea (SAS)

“…However, it has also been pointed out that intercultural competencies are closely connected to language abilities and how individuals are prepared for their study-abroad journey (Róg et al, 2020). Language competencies, intercultural communication competencies, and strategies are closely bound to the intercultural competencies and how individuals strive in new cultural and study (abroad) environments (Sunendar et al, 2021).…”

Membaca Dunia Anak dengan Bijak: Peran Guru dalam Pembelajaran Cerita Anak Realis

“…Cerita anak realis yang mengandung muatan edukatif atau mengajarkan suatu pelajaran dikenal bersifat didaktis literatur (Apriliya, Sunendar, Mulyati, & Sumiyadi, 2019). Untuk siswa, media sosial berperan sebagai alat yang dapat memperlancar interaksi sosial dan juga sebagai sarana pembelajaran untuk meningkatkan keterampilan berbahasa mereka (Sunendar, Darmawangsa, Sukmayadi, 2021). Cerita anak realis mampu mengaitkan kisah dengan capaian pembelajaran tanpa mendikte peserta didik.…”

Evaluating Multicultural Educational Experiences and Intercultural Communication Competence in an Arab Context

“…A focus on the underlying elements of ICC is consistent with a wide array of indirect assessment tools often used to measure intercultural competence in commercial, industrial and educational contexts (Aba, 2015;Fantini & Tirmizi, 2006;Gjoci & Gjoci, 2020;Sinicrope, Norris & Wantanabe, 2008), as well as in frameworks such as the pyramid model of intercultural competence Deardorff (2006) or Chen and Starosta (1996) triangular model of ICC. The measurable components identified as best suited for the current study included cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions (Cui & Van den Berg, 1991;Kim, 1991;Sercu, 2004), which are commonly examined in ICC as well as intercultural sensitivity research ( (Sunendar, Darmawangsa, & Sukmayadi, 2021); Peng, 2006). The current study applies Arasaratnam (2009) proposed model to a unique cultural condition of a country with a greater number of expatriates than nationals.…”