Abstract:

This paper presents the results of a study carried out in the Brazilian Higher Education System and meant to analyze the contributions of the Internationalization of Higher Education to the development of Intercultural Competence (IC) in students from the member institutions of Associação Brasileira de Educação Internacional (FAUBAI).

The methodology used is the Mixed Methods Explanatory Sequential Study with qualitative predominance, which allowed combining initial questionnaires with semi-structured interviews. In both instances, we worked with managers from the international offices and with students.

The most relevant contribution of this project is its unprecedented approach to studying IC and Interculturality, analyzed as a result of the process of Internationalization of Higher Education. The main takeaways to the theory are the first local definitions of IC and of Interculturality, which were the result of a collective construction emerging from the research participants’ feedback.

According to them, Intercultural Competence is: “A set of skills and knowledge that one acquires or expands in order to be able to relate with people from different cultures aiming at respect, acceptance and coexistence based on collaboration.” This definition was validated by 60.0% of the managers of international offices who participated in the study. Whereas Interculturality is: “The relationship between cultures that, in a process of approximation, based on respect and equality, seek to build spaces of coexistence and dialogue allowing the exchange of meanings and identities.” Also validated by 67.65% of the managers of international offices.

Another takeaway to the theory is the confirmation that Internationalization of Higher Education effectively contributes to the acquisition of IC in students. As Higher Education Institutions set up their policies and initiate their internationalization processes, they define their goals, strategies and develop a vast range of activities. In other words, they start to encompass the international, global, and intercultural perspectives into their functions. By doing so they foster intercultural dialogue that enables the development of IC.

Finally, it is important to mention that the results and conclusions of this research are limited to the Brazilian Higher Education Institutions that participated in the study. For this reason, they were neither analyzed as representatives of the Brazilian Higher Education System nor as all FAUBAI members. However, the exploratory nature of the study reveals the voice and view of Brazilian institutions committed to develop their internationalization policies. Additional studies should be carried out to give continuity and deepen the findings of this work.

Keywords:

Higher Education, Internationalization, Intercultural Competence, Interculturality.