The Identification and Assessment of Intercultural Competence as a Student Outcome of Internationalization at Institutions of Higher Education in the United States

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine a definition and appropriate assessment methods of intercultural competence as agreed upon by a panel of nationally-known intercultural experts. This information was validated by a sample of higher education administrators and can be used by administrators in identifying and assessing intercultural competence as a student outcome of internationalization efforts. The process and procedures used to develop and validate this information were a 3-round Delphi technique involving the intercultural experts, along with an institutional questionnaire to higher education administrators involved in internationalization efforts. The Delphi technique is a reiterative, interactive process between a researcher and a panel of experts, often with the goal of reaching consensus among panelists. Three rounds of questions were communicated to the panel through the use of electronic mail. Experts generated and submitted definitions of intercultural competence, refined those definitions, and reached some agreement on key elements of intercultural competence and appropriate assessment methods. In addition, higher education administrators participated in the final round of the Delphi to indicate their acceptance or rejection of the data developed by the