Abstract:

The objective of the study is to examine the effects of culture and language on educational interaction among students from different lingual backgrounds but who must use English as a language of learning and communication. The research goal is to investigate the implications of culture on verbal and communication behaviors in a multinational environment. The research also highlights how faculty and students are using new media technologies to improve communication and foster understanding across the different cultural and diverse language backgrounds of the students.
UAE is a country that has become home to many expatriates. To this extent, one can conclude that at some level, it could pass for a multicultural society with a lot of intercultural relationships. Some of the expatriates are Arabs from neighboring countries while some are non Arabs, yet they have to communicate and co-habit in understanding and peace. This need for intercultural communication between Arabs and non-Arabs is increasing and there is a need to investigate the challenges associated with it.
Abu Dhabi University (ADU) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is chosen as the sample and population for the study. ADU like many other universities in the UAE can be considered as a microcosm of the society because many multinational students are studying in the university. Moreover, all courses are in the university are taught in English. Moreover, faculty and students are expected to use English in all communication within the university. In fact, it prides itself as “an all English teaching and speaking university.” Therefore ADU is a reliable environment for the study. It also strives to align itself with the strategic goals of the UAE which includes opening up more opportunities for interacting with the wider business community which invariably takes into account the advantages of being able to communicate in the language of world trade, technology and diplomacy-English. The survey will be conducted in order to ascertain the types of problems faced by these students in cross-cultural communication.
Particularly, this research will shed light on cultural influences on verbal and non-verbal communication styles of Arab and non Arab origin students during their academic journey in the university. The cultural communication experience the students acquire throughout their higher education years can either enhance or impede their communicative behaviour when they finally enter into the world of work where they will encounter much more cultural diversity.

Keywords:

Language, Education, Communication, Intercultural, Technology, Diversity, Media Technologies.