Developing Intercultural Competence Through Short-Term Academic Exchange: Emotional Regulation and Identity Formation in a Multicultural Co-Living Context

AAIM Recommendations to Promote Equity in the Clerkship Clinical Learning Environment

1 IntroductionOne of the main benefits of student mobility within the Erasmus programme is often quoted to be gaining greater (inter)cultural awareness, which in turn leads to enhanced intercultural communicative competence, an important skill, which in a globalised world increases and strengthens Erasmus students' employability. By acquiring (inter)cultural awareness students expand and deepen their understanding as to how cultural values and conventions affect our attitudes and behaviour (Byram 1997; Chen, & Starosta 1998-99), a competence that helps them mediate effectively between cultures and languages in intercultural encounters, termed intercultural communicative competence (Byram 2012; Chen, & Starosta 1998-99; Deardorff 2004; Fantini 2000/1).The Green Paper on Learning Mobility (COM 2009, 329: 5) suggests that mobility adds to human capital, as students access new knowledge and develop new linguistic skills and intercultural competences. However, studies by a number of researchers (Dervin 2009; Golubeva 2003; Holmes, & O'Neill 2012) point to the fact that development of (inter)cultural awareness is not naturally acquired through exposure to intercultural contacts in an international environment and that residence in a foreign country does not of itself produce positive representations of that country (Byram, & Zarate 1995; Dervin 2008; Anquetil 2009), what is more, it does not even abate students' stereotypical perceptions of otherness (Starkey, & Osler 2009; Starosta 2014). In order to help students derive benefit from their study period abroad in terms of enhancing their intercultural communicative competence, intercultural learning should, therefore, be assisted, facilitated, guided.The need to help students delve into intercultural issues and integrate new communication paradigms during their study or work sojourn abroad was also confirmed by the initial research within the IEREST project. Responses to questionnaires gathered from students who had participated in the Erasmus exchange programme previously, those currently taking part in it and those preparing for a sojourn abroad, as well as their discussion in focus groups, indicated clearly that the majority of students perceived a need for guidance in intercultural matters (for further discussion on this see Beaven, A., Borghetti, C., Van Maele, J., and Vassilicos, B. 2013). Moreover, the relevance of guidance for students preparing for study and/or work mobility as to the way in which to approach intercultural matters in international contacts is evidenced by a slew of teaching modules and courses dealing with intercultural issues (e.g. the Interculture Project at Lancaster University in UK; SALTO - an EU project within the Youth in Action Programme; De.C.I.D.E - an EU project within Lifelong Learning Programme; Mobility for Young People by AHA Moments; Intercultural Competence Training by Kwintessential) that are proposed to students by various tertiary institutions and projects in the EU and beyond.A number of theoretical paradigms concerning intercultural learning, communication, and pedagogy underpin existing courses such as those listed above, aimed at developing intercultural competence for Erasmus mobility, as well as other teaching materials and study programmes tackling intercultural communication topics. As a consequence, many authors and researchers have recently discussed the elusive problem of defining intercultural competence (Byram 2012; Deardoff 2009; Dervin 2009; Holmes 2009; Rathje 2007; Spitzberg, & Changnon 2009) and have identified the term 'intercultural' as polysemic, often used interchangeably with a number of variants derived from 'culture' such as 'cross-cultural', 'transcultural', 'intercultural' as labels for the same meaning (Beaven, Comas-Quinn, & Sawhill 2013). Similarly, Byram (2012). Holliday (2012) and others pointed to a proliferation of rather confusing terminological variants in the field of 'interculturality', all entailing very different ways of treating cultural matters and intercultural contacts, thus indicating the coexistence of multiple and sometimes contradictory approaches to facilitating the process of developing (inter)cultural awareness and competence. …

<p><em>Intercultural learning is a new pedagogy that encourages learners to establish relationships between their own culture and the other culture, managing dysfunctions and mediating differences. These skills and others will enable learners to develop intercultural competence and help them become intercultural speakers/mediators (Byram, 1997). However, learners’ intercultural competence cannot be developed without an appropriate intervention and guidance on the part of the teacher who represents a central element in the intercultural learning process. Thus, the issue at stake is the degree to which teachers demonstrate knowledge of skills and competencies they need for the development of students’ intercultural competence and awareness. In this respect, the present study is an attempt to </em><em>explore the extent to which </em><em>the teachers’ competencies and skills meet the specifications formulated in the literature regarding intercultural teaching competence</em><em>. It included 25 Moroccan university teachers who have already taught culture at the university. In line with the objective of the study, a five-point Likert scale questionnaire was adopted as a major data collection procedure. The results revealed that the majority of Moroccan university teachers demonstrated negative attitudes towards and lack of awareness regarding the intercultural teaching competencies provided. It also turned out that the majority of teachers’ competencies do not meet the specifications formulated in the literature, regarding intercultural teaching competence. In light of the results obtained, several implications are derived from the study for decision makers and teachers.</em></p>

<p align="LEFT">The aim of this paper is to present the concept of dignity as a refl ective concept that may serve as a strategy for enhancing intercultural competence. Within the field of intercultural communication, intercultural competence seeks to impart essential knowledge and skills for engaging in intercultural encounters with cognitive, behavioral and affective competence. Dignity contributes to intercultural competence by enabling persons to view the social world anew.</p><p align="LEFT">In this paper, dignity is conceptualized as the development and self-expression of persons free from social categorization, while acknowledging human vulnerability towards the social and material world. In intercultural encounters, a person may indeed sense their vulnerability due to a lack of social orientation, cultural awareness and language skills. Simultaneously, the vulnerability of the Other may be neglected with implications for effective and appropriate interaction between a Self and a culturally dissimilar Other. Accordingly, it is proposed that emotional regulation is essential for realizing dignity as an aspect of intercultural competence.</p><p align="LEFT">Research on social dynamics and identity and the emotions is not without its precedence within intercultural communication. This project contributes to the objectives of intercultural communication and competence by theorizing how awareness of social dynamics and emotional regulation may support the realization of dignity during intercultural encounters. Dignity may complement other strategies related to cognitive, behavioral and affective competence for engaging in effective and appropriate communication.</p>

Perceived Impact of Affect Labeling and Social Sharing in Healthcare: Insights from a Pilot Study and Opportunities for Future Investigation

The general objective of this research is to explore how cultural frameworks shape language education, emphasizing the integration of cultural content in curricula, pedagogical strategies, and its impact on learners’ intercultural competence and identity formation. Utilizing a systematic review methodology aligned with PRISMA 2009 guidelines, peer-reviewed journal articles from ERIC, Taylor & Francis, and ScienceDirect databases published between 2020-2024 were analyzed. The research addresses two key problems: firstly, determining effective pedagogical strategies to integrate cultural content into language curricula to enhance learners’ intercultural competence while respecting cultural sensitivities, and secondly, understanding how integrating cultural frameworks influences learners’ identity formation, language proficiency, and intercultural awareness. The findings indicate that culturally responsive teaching significantly enhances student engagement, intercultural competence, and identity formation, despite challenges such as limited teacher training and potential reinforcement of stereotypes. The study concludes that integrating culturally inclusive frameworks in language education curricula is vital for developing learners’ intercultural competence, necessitating continuous educator training and carefully designed culturally inclusive materials.

Understanding the professional athlete students' social adjustment, intimacy, well-being, and psychological safety is crucial, as they significantly impact students' psychological well-being, behaviours, and overall quality of life. In the context of Chinese universities, the influence of the interplay between these variables and understanding the role of physical activity as a mediating variable is essential. This study employs structural equation modelling to investigate the interplay between professional athlete students' social adjustment, intimacy, well-being, and psychological safety. Additionally, the study explores the mediating role of physical activities in shaping the relationship between these variables, providing insights into the multifaceted dynamics of students' well-being in the context of their educational and athletic experiences. Three hundred eighty-four undergraduate students from Jiangxi University of Science and Technology in China were selected through convenience sampling. The participants were all members of the university volleyball and football clubs. They were undergraduate and graduate students. Results show that the hypothetical model enjoyed an acceptable level of convergent and divergent validity and reliability. Results showed that intimacy and social adjustment significantly affect the students' physical activity, well-being, and psychological safety. Results also verified that physical activity plays a significant role as the mediating variable. Direct influences of physical activity on well-being and its mediating role in the interplay between intimacy and psychological safety offer insights for targeted interventions, emphasizing the need for holistic well-being programs acknowledging complex connections in athletes and broader populations. Fostering intimate relationships and promoting social adjustment can catalyze increased physical activity. Integrating physical activity into well-being initiatives is crucial for enhancing overall well-being among athletes and beyond.

In the twenty-first century, the teaching and learning of foreign languages (FL) has shifted towards providing English as a foreign language (EFL) learner with the necessary skills in a cross-cultural encounter widely known as intercultural competence. Based on the notion that one's intercultural savvy depends on having a clear conception of what intercultural competence involves, the study aimed to explore Thai students’ interpretations of intercultural competence (IC). The study was carried out through interviews with 20 Thai undergraduate students from two Thai universities in Bangkok. All participants took part in both one-on-one and group interviews. The study used Byram’s (1997) model of intercultural communicative competence (ICC). The findings show that the participants had little understanding of the concepts underlying IC, and how students perceived IC was essentially influenced by their intercultural learning experiences in their classrooms. Overall, the findings of this study offered a wide range of recommendations, specifically regarding classroom practices for intercultural learning.

This research article focuses on promoting global citizenship education by examining strategies for developing intercultural competence in students. Employing a qualitative methodology involving literature review and library research, the study aims to identify effective approaches to foster intercultural understanding and competence among students in diverse educational settings. The literature review explores various dimensions of global citizenship education, intercultural competence, and related pedagogical strategies. By analyzing existing research and theoretical frameworks, the article seeks to elucidate key concepts and best practices in promoting intercultural learning. The findings highlight the importance of incorporating experiential learning, cultural immersion programs, and cross-cultural communication activities into the curriculum to enhance students' intercultural competence. Additionally, the study underscores the significance of promoting critical reflection, empathy, and respect for diversity as foundational principles of global citizenship education. Moreover, the article discusses the role of educators in facilitating intercultural learning experiences and creating inclusive learning environments that encourage dialogue and collaboration among students from diverse backgrounds.

The healthcare industry demands nurses who possess both emotional intelligence (EI) and cultural competence (CC) to effectively manage patient care in diverse clinical settings. However, gaps in emotional regulation, self-awareness, and proactive cultural application among nurses pose challenges to workplace relationships, patient satisfaction, and overall healthcare quality. This study aimed to assess the emotional intelligence and cultural competence of nurses in selected hospitals in Ormoc City, determine significant differences based on demographic and professional characteristics, and examine the relationship between EI and CC. A quantitative, descriptive-correlational research design was employed, utilizing a 33-item Emotional Intelligence Scale and the Nurse Cultural Competence Scale (NCCS) to measure the two competencies. A sample of 208 registered nurses was drawn from four hospitals using proportionate random sampling. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Results indicated that nurses exhibited moderate levels of EI and CC, with notable deficiencies in emotional regulation and self-directed cultural learning. Younger nurses had significantly higher EI and CC scores compared to older nurses. Nurses with Doctorate Degrees had lower EI and CC scores than those with bachelor’s and master’s Degrees. Nursing managers demonstrated lower EI and CC than staff nurses. A weak to moderate positive correlation was found between EI and CC, with the strongest relationship in the use of cultural resources, indicating that emotionally intelligent nurses were more likely to seek external support for culturally diverse patients. The findings are moderate and that no causation can be determined through a cross-sectional study. These findings highlight the need for continuous EI and CC training, mentorship programs, leadership development, and structured cultural competence workshops. Strengthening these competencies is crucial for improving patient care, enhancing workplace dynamics, and fostering a more inclusive healthcare environment in Ormoc City hospitals. Further research is recommended to explore longitudinal changes in EI and CC, the impact of training programs on nurse performance, and the role of digital learning tools in competency development and that longitudinal or experimental studies needed to better understand the relationships.

Intercultural competence (IC) is essential in language education, equipping learners with the skills to navigate cross-cultural communication effectively. This scoping review examines existing research on pedagogical approaches, technological integration, and teacher development in fostering IC within language education. Following the Arksey and O’Malley framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, relevant studies were identified from databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC. The review highlights task-based learning, experiential learning, and intercultural communicative competence (ICC) models as key pedagogical strategies. Additionally, it explores the growing role of digital tools, AI-driven platforms, virtual exchange programs, and social media in enhancing intercultural learning. Teacher development remains a crucial factor, with research emphasizing intercultural sensitivity training, reflective teaching, and blended learning approaches. Findings indicate that while technology-mediated intercultural learning is expanding, challenges persist in assessment standardization, effective teacher training, and sustainable curriculum integration. The review identifies research gaps, including the need for longitudinal studies on IC development, AI-enhanced adaptive learning, and gamification strategies in language education. Future studies should focus on innovative methods to integrate IC seamlessly into pedagogical practices and professional training.

This article contributes to the understanding of intercultural competence at the university level and assesses students’ skills of communication and collaboration to effectively cross cultural boundaries. This research makes a valuable contribution to intercultural education at Higher Institutions by including a perspective on how to contribute to social harmony and exploring the application of Intercultural Teaching competence by the Foreign Languages Department professors across their disciplines at Fan S. Noli University. Studying and appreciating different cultures encourages critical thinking as it fosters open-mindedness and intellectual growth. This article gives a general theoretical view of Intercultural Education in the teaching-learning process. Employing a qualitative and descriptive methodology, the study consists of two main data-gathering methods: semi-structured interviews and group discussions. Interviews were conducted with 15 first-year English Branch students at Fan S Noli University, Korça City in Albania. Students provided information on how Intercultural Competence is promoted, perceived, and acquired through materials in the different university disciplines they learn and how knowledge taught in these subjects can be improved during intercultural learning from their personal experiences. To summarize, the research emphasizes that promoting cultural sensitivity in lectures is essential to creating a respectful and tolerant atmosphere.

Professionals are increasingly being required to work in diverse, multicultural environments. Accordingly, skills in intercultural practice are a prerequisite to professional knowledge and competence. Ensuring that these are developed is increasingly part of the core business of universities. Currently, however, there is a gap in the knowledge base as to the learning processes that underpin the acquisition of such intercultural understandings, knowledge and competence. This article represents an attempt to address this gap through describing some of the findings of a qualitative, interdisciplinary study undertaken by the authors with students at Charles Sturt University, Australia. The purpose of the study was to illuminate key processes in the development of cultural knowledge and intercultural competence through exploring the experiences of education and health professional students undertaking fieldwork and study in Indonesia and Vietnam. In this article we illustrate and discuss a continuum of learning to be interculturally competent, grounded in the data, and conclude with a series of recommendations for future practice and research.

With the proliferation of short term study abroad programs at institutions of higher education, there is a need for more rigorous assessment of how these pr ograms contribute to intercultural learning. This article presents a multi institutional comparative study of students’ intercultural learning in six short term study abroad programs in Canada and the U nited S tates , employing both quantitative and qualitat ive methods. The study combines pre and post IDI survey scores with a qualitative analysis of student writing to present evidence about the impact of specific program features on students’ intercultural learning, as well as an analysis of how the students themselves make sense of their experiences abroad. We argue that the extent of pre departure intercultural training has a positive relationship with intercultural learning outcomes. Additionally, we present evidence that service learning opportunities and intra group dynamics contribute to students’ intercultural competence. We conclude that mixed methods analysis provides the most effective way of identifying how different program factors contribute to intercultural growth, when that growth occurs in a pr ogram cycle, and how program leaders can provide effective intercultural interventions to best facilitate student learning abroad.

Intercultural learning and teaching with children is attracting increased attention as an emerging field of practice with theorists, educators, and policy practitioners. The Oxford Dictionary (2018) defines the term culture as the “beliefs, customs and arts of a particular society, group, place or time” and intercultural as “taking place between cultures or derived from different cultures.” The growing field of intercultural learning and teaching with children denotes learning and teaching that affords children the opportunity to interact and engage with different cultures. In Intercultural Teaching and Learning: Rethinking Intercultural Learning Processes (Munich: Goethe Institut, 2017) Jurgen Bolten provides a contemporary understanding of intercultural work, noting that culture and interculturality are in a state of flux, with cultures and people acquiring their identities through interactions with humans and non-human actors such as the Internet—a scenario that applies to child learners as well as to adult learners. Further, the bifurcated global context of the Global North and Global South accentuates the disparities in the digital worlds of learner (whether child or adult) and their access to learning opportunities and resources. Put simply, intercultural teaching and learning is both a conceptual approach and a set of practical strategies designed to enable learners, in this case children, to seek and to contribute to cultural diversity and to develop intercultural competence—the focus of Messner and Schafer in their Intercultural communication and collaboration appraisal (London: GloBus Research, 2012). Chlopek argues in “The Intercultural Approach to EFL Teaching and Learning” (English Teaching Forum 4 [2008], pp. 10–19) that its historical antecedents are found in the teaching and learning of foreign languages. Since the introduction of intercultural teaching in foreign language education, recent decades have seen its application in early childhood education, schooling, and teacher education, as addressed by Farrell and Pramling Samuelsson in Diversity in the early years. Intercultural teaching and learning (Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 2016). Gibson argues in Intercultural business communication (London: Oxford University Press, 2002) that intercultural learning and teaching have been championed, in the fields of business, human relations, and commerce. In short, the field of intercultural learning and teaching with children is international and interdisciplinary, although bounded by local and national legislative, policy, and jurisdictional requirements. This bibliography offers a suite of perspectives, resources, and strategies to open up new possibilities for researchers, practitioners, and policy personnel in the pursuit of intercultural policy and practice.