Intercultural communication competence: Educating students for global networking

• Main Authors: Harun, Minah, Dalib, Syarizan, Yusof, Norhafezah, Ahmad, Mohd Khairie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Malaysia Sabah 2018
• Subjects: LB2300 Higher Education
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/27836/2/edisi-khas-4-1.pdf; http://repo.uum.edu.my/27836/; http://jkob.cseap.edu.my/index.php/journal/singleJournal/52

With the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) becoming the buzz words of today, intercultural communication is increasingly relevant. There is a need to educate students on the effective and culturally sensitive ways of communicating with diverse others in multiple spaces they are in, particularly in the campus and the virtual realm. The advanced technology combined with students’ interest to engage in it as opposed to the traditional classroom, makes it more pertinent for all educators to find ways to prepare culturally diverse students for global competence. Drawing from the focus group data, this paper discusses the various approaches used by students when communicating with the others in Malaysian universities. More specifically, the paper highlights how communication skills affect interaction and as a result, influence cross-cultural understanding among diverse people. It also brings to light the importance of exposing students to global competence which in the long run, can assist students to venture more effectively into the cultural and high-tech world. The paper ends with several implications of intercultural communication competence and cross-cultural awareness among students in today’s networked world.