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Peter Peter GaineyGaineyRegional Director (Asia Pacific)Regional Director (Asia Pacific)

Graduating Students withIntercultural Competencies

and the Shifting Expectations of East Asian Employers

The Scholar Ship

Tecnológico de MonterreyMexico

Macquarie UniversityAustralia

University of GhanaGhana

University of California, BerkeleyUSA

Al Akhawayn UniversityMorocco

OUR CONSORTIUM OF ACADEMIC STEWARDS

Fudan UniversityChina

single-semester ocean-going

academic program

undergraduate and postgraduate study

700 students and academic staff from

around the world

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> Intercultural Competence: a definition

The Scholar Ship Research Projectbackground

> Do students have access to programs that will equip them with comprehensive intercultural competence?

> What emphasis are employers placing on recruitment of graduates with these skills?

What is Intercultural Competence?

“the knowledge, motivation and skills to effectively and appropriately interact with members of differentcultures”

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What is Intercultural Competence?

> The Cognitive Dimension

> The Affective Dimension

> The Behavioural Dimension

intercultural leadership skills?Are students in East Asia being equipped with

> Availability and awareness?

> Acquisition of knowledge or skills?

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intercultural competence?How much importance are employers placing on

> Expatriates

Didactic / experientialCulture-specific / culture-general

> Learning models

> Cross-cultural training

> Employing overseas educated graduates

> Overseas business training

Leveraging intercultural skillsin the job market

> Measurable and quantifiable skills

> Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)

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Intercultural Development InventoryDevelopment model of intercultural sensitivity

by Milton Bennett

ethnocentric stages ethnorelative stages

denial defense minimisation adaptation integrationacceptance

cognitive

affective

behavioural

Conclusions

> We don’t know a lot

> We want to know a lot more

> Short-term training only scratches the surface

Employers probably aren’t fully aware of the correlation between

intercultural skills and their bottom lines

> Graduates need to take the initiative to leverage their experiences

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THANK YOUTHANK YOU