INTERCULTURAL TRAINING FOR UNDERREPRESENTED UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
Teodora Popescu 
1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia, Romania
Abstract
In increasingly diverse academic environments, underrepresented university students—whether marginalised by ethnicity, socio-economic status, or nationality—often face substantial barriers to full cultural integration and mutual understanding. This paper explores the design, implementation, and outcomes of a short intercultural training programme aimed at equipping such students with the critical tools necessary to navigate intercultural interactions and educational spaces effectively. Drawing from experiential learning theories and intercultural communication frameworks, the programme introduced three interactive activities: the Iceberg Model of Culture, Suspension of Judgement, and One Reality, Several Visions. These activities were carefully selected to stimulate critical thinking, foster empathy, and encourage multiperspectivity—core components of intercultural competence.
This qualitative study assesses the impact of the training on participants’ perceptions of culture, identity, and bias through a combination of group discussions, reflective tasks, and observational analysis. The results suggest that even brief interventions can significantly enhance cultural self-awareness, reduce stereotyping, and promote openness to alternative worldviews. Moreover, students reported increased capacities for perspective-taking and greater comfort engaging in multicultural group settings.
This research contributes to the growing body of literature on intercultural education by offering a practical, replicable model tailored specifically for underrepresented student populations. It argues that targeted intercultural education not only bolsters academic and social inclusion but also equips students with essential competencies for navigating professional environments increasingly shaped by cultural complexity. The paper concludes with recommendations for integrating intercultural training into university curricula, emphasising inclusivity, reflective engagement, and the importance of long-term integration beyond isolated workshops.
Keywords: Mobility; Intercultural Competence; Higher Education; Diversity; Experiential Learning.
Acknowledgements
The current article was developed as part of the Erasmus+ project STATUS – Steering Transition and Advancement of Tertiary Underrepresented Students (2021-1-RS01-KA220-HED-000032129), carried out during the period 2021–2024. The author gratefully acknowledges the support of the project in facilitating the research and development of this work.
References
Allan, M. (2003). Frontier crossings: Cultural dissonance, intercultural learning and the multicultural personality. Journal of Research in International Education, 2(1), 83-110. https://doi.org/10.1177/1475240903021005
Banks, J. A. (2015). Cultural diversity and education: Foundations, curriculum, and teaching (7th ed.). Pearson Education.
Bennett, J. M. (1993). Towards ethnorelativism: A developmental model of intercultural sensitivity. In R. M. Paige (Ed.), Education for the intercultural experience (pp. 21–71). Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
Berry, J. W., Phinney, J. S., Sam, D. L., & Vedder, P. (2006). Immigrant youth: Acculturation, identity, and adaptation. Applied Psychology, 55(3), 303–332. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2006.00256.x
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77-101. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Brislin, R. W. (1993). Understanding culture’s influence on behavior: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers.
Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Multilingual Matters.
Deardorff, D. K. (2006). Identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcome of internationalization. Journal of Studies in International Education, 10(3), 241-266. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315306287002
Deardorff, D. K. (2009). Implementing intercultural competence assessment. In D. K. Deardorff (Ed.), The Sage handbook of intercultural competence (pp. 477–491). Sage Publications.
Diller, J. V., & Moule, J. (2005). Cultural competence: A primer for educators. Wadsworth.
Drake, B. (2004). International education and IB programmes: Worldwide expansion and potential cultural dissonance. Journal of Research in International Education, 3(2), 189-205. https://doi.org/10.1177/1475240904044387
Engle, L., & Engle, J. (2004). Assessing language acquisition and intercultural sensitivity development in relation to study abroad program design. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 10, 219–236. https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v10i1.142
Fantini, A. E. (2009). Assessing intercultural competence: A review of the development and application of intercultural competence assessment tools. In D. K. Deardorff (Ed.), The Sage handbook of intercultural competence (pp. 456-476). Sage Publications.
Hays, D. G., Dean, J. K., & Chang, C. Y. (2011). Addressing privilege and oppression in counselor training and practice: A qualitative analysis. Journal of Counseling & Development, 85(3), 317–324. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6678.2007.tb00480.x
Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.
Jokikokko, K. (2005). Interculturally trained Finnish teachers’ conceptions of diversity and intercultural competence. Intercultural Education, 16(1), 69–83. https://doi.org/10.1080/14636310500061898 b
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice-Hall.
Kramsch, C. (2009). The multilingual subject: What foreign language learners say about their experience and why it matters. Oxford University Press.
Lustig, M. W., & Koester, J. (2010). Intercultural competence: Interpersonal communication across cultures (6th ed.). Pearson Education.
Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2010). Intercultural communication in contexts (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Mestenhauser, J. A., & Ellingboe, B. J. (1998). Reforming the higher education curriculum: Internationalizing the campus. American Council on Education/Oryx Press Series on Higher Education.
OECD. (2019). Education at a glance 2019: OECD indicators. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/f8d7880d-en
Roberson, Q. M., & Stevens, C. K. (2006). Making sense of diversity in the workplace: Organizational justice and language abstraction in employees' accounts of diversity-related incidents. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(2), 379–391. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.91.2.379
Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (2007). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (5th ed.). Wiley.
Thiem, K. C., & Dasgupta, N. (2022). From precollege to career: Barriers facing historically marginalized students and evidence-based solutions. Social Issues and Policy Review, 16(1), 212–251. https://doi.org/10.1111/sipr.12085
Trompenaars, F., & Hampden-Turner, C. (1998). Riding the waves of culture: Understanding diversity in global business (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill.
References for teaching materials
Caragiale, I. L. (n.d.). Tema și variațiuni. ILCaragiale.eu. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://www.ilcaragiale.eu/opere/momente_si_schite/tema_si_variatiuni.html
Fandom contributors. (n.d.). Severus Snape. In Harry Potter Wiki. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Severus_Snape
Hall, E. T. (1976). Beyond culture. Anchor Press/Doubleday.
Intercultural Communication for the Community, Workplace, and University. (n.d.). Main body. eCampusOntario. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/intercultural/part/main-body/
Moldova suverană. (n.d.). Cum a omorât Alexandru Lăpușneanu toată curtea personală în doar câteva minute. Retrieved 1 June 2021 from https://moldova-suverana.md/article/cum-a-omorit-alexandru-lapusneanu-toata-curtea-personala-in-doar-citeva-minute_18120
Popescu, T. (2018). Manipulation in news reporting. A case-study of a Romanian sketch by I.L. Caragiale. Journal of Linguistic and Intercultural Education – JoLIE, 11(2), 99-112. doi: https://doi.org/10.29302/jolie.2018.11.2.7
Ting-Toomey, S. (1999). Communicating across cultures. The Guilford Press.
United Church of Canada. (2015). The iceberg model of culture [PDF]. A Deacon’s Musing. https://adeaconsmusing.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/151015.ucc_.culture.iceberg.pdf
YouTube. (2015). The Iceberg Model of Culture – Beyond Stereotypes. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57KW6RO8Rcs
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Darth Vader. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darth_Vader
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Maleficent (film). In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maleficent_(film)
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). The Vampire Diaries. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vampire_Diaries
How to cite this article: Popescu, T. (2023). Intercultural training for underrepresented university students. Journal of Linguistic and Intercultural Education - JoLIE, 16(1), 109–125. https://doi.org/10.29302/jolie.2023.16.1.7
For details on subscription, go to: http://jolie.uab.ro/index.php?pagina=-&id=19&l=en