Intercultural communication factors when assessing quality in higher education

Virginia Pattingale and Kevin Brett, University of

South Australia

Context

Separate research interests

Improving Intercultural communication as a key strategy in sustainability of international higher education.

An increase in free trade in education services will require efficient international and national QA systems, which acknowledge intercultural communication

Working on program evaluation and quality assurance particularly in transnational programs

Mega trends (after Knight)

increased demand – IDP statisticstrade liberalisationregulatory environmentcross border educationnational and international QA systemstransnational education both undergraduate and post graduate

Internationalisation

Jane Knight has updated a definition of internationalisation at the national, sector and institutional levels to one which identifies a process of integration. She says it is the process of integrating an international, intercultural, or global dimension into the purpose, functions or delivery of post secondary education.

Transnational Education as a major segment of Australia’s international education project

Reviewed in the light of cultural context and modifications Student support services Staff induction & development

What questions do we need to ask to ensure that the individual student’s intercultural needs are being met to enable the success of the educational learning program?

Assuring intercultural competence

Activity

Competency

Ethos

Curriculum DocsGraduate QualitiesStudent support

Communication skillsAbility to deal with intercultural stress

Policy documentsBilingual language frameworkProvision of resources

Quantitative measures of intercultural competence

Gudykunst’s (2001) Anxiety Uncertainty Management theory

Milton J Bennet -Developmental Model of Intercultural sensitivity (DMIS).

Hammer, Bennet and Wiseman(2003) Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)

Kelley & Meyers (1992) Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory

W J Reddin - Culture Shock Inventory

Sampson and Smith(1957) - Worldmindedness Scale

Limitations

“… the empirical evidence in instruments and other methods of assessing intercultural sensitivity has been very limited to date.’ P 469

Paige, M.R., Jacobs-Cassuto, M., Yershova, Y.A., and DeJaeghere, J., (2003) Assessing intercultural sensitivity: an empirical analysis of the Hammer and Bennett Intercultural Development Inventory, Journal of Intercultural Relations, Vol 27 pp 467-486

Discussion

Measure success or failureAdapt modelsDevelop strategiesImplement as policy

PrioritiesQuality assuranceEquity, access, inclusivity and diversity