DEVELOPING INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH INTERNATIONALIZATION OF THE CURRICULUM

This study aims to examine whether cooperative learning, implemented through real-life intercultural case studies This study examines whether cooperative learning, implemented through real-life intercultural case studies within an internationalized curriculum, supports undergraduate students’ perceived development of intercultural competence. The research was conducted in a second-year Intercultural Communication course in which students worked in culturally heterogeneous groups to resolve an intercultural misunderstanding through structured cooperative roles.A quantitative research design was employed. Data were collected through an online survey consisting of 15 items measured on a 10-point Likert scale and administered to 37 undergraduate students following completion of the cooperative learning activity. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to examine students’ perceptions of their learning experience, focusing on multicultural teamwork, clarity of instructions, experiences of discomfort and frustration, and perceived movement outside their comfort zone.Findings indicate that students evaluated the cooperative learning experience positively while also reporting significant levels of challenge. A majority of participants indicated that the activity required them to move outside their comfort zone and that they experienced frustration during the group work process. These results suggest that cooperative learning, when embedded in an internationalized curriculum, creates structured conditions that support intercultural learning by engaging students in meaningful interaction with cultural difference.