Intercultural competence in a homogeneous context
A phenomenological study of international students’ lived experiences in an Iranian University
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22415182 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ali Hassanpour (0000-0002-7756-1506, University of North Texas, corresponding author), Sherry Deckman (The City University of New York (CUNY)), Nematollah Azizi (0000-0002-8637-397X, University of Glasgow), Jamal Salimi (0000-0003-1796-5063, University of Kurdistan) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-16 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-21 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Further and Higher Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0309-877X • E-ISSN: 1469-9486 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/0309877x.2026.2678342 |
| OpenAlex | W7162034416 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 30 |
This study investigates international students’ personal experiences with intercultural competence within the distinct, culturally homogeneous environment of an Iranian public university. Employing a phenomenological approach, the research explores the lived realities of 15 international students to understand how this specific sociopolitical context shapes intercultural development. Through a constant comparison method, the study identifies three critical dimensions organisational, educational, and relational where intercultural competence is currently lacking. The findings emphasise that in homogeneous settings, institutional conditions significantly constrain individual intercultural growth. The study contributes novel empirical insights from a non-Western context and advances a systemic conceptualisation of intercultural competence. Practical recommendations are offered for universities seeking to promote inclusive and transformative internationalisation.
Cultural competence · Homogeneous · Intercultural communication · Intercultural Competence · Interpretative phenomenological analysis · Lived experience · Qualitative research · Cultural Competency in Health Care · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · International Student and Expatriate Challenges
Phenomenological research methods
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Social network analysis of international student mobility
Welcome to America? International student perceptions of discrimination
Moving beyond ‘wishing and hoping’
International Student Success
Conceptualizing Internationalization at a Distance
Barriers to multicultural education in Iran
Diversity in Iranian upstream educational documents
Refocusing the development of critical intercultural competence in higher education
Developing intercultural competence through overseas student teaching
Understanding friendship and learning networks of international and host students using longitudinal Social Network Analysis
Reconceptualizing Research on College Student Peer Culture
Identification and Assessment of Intercultural Competence as a Student Outcome of Internationalization
Theoretical models of culture shock and adaptation in international students in higher education
Predictors of Acculturation for Chinese Adolescents in Canada
The internationalization of higher education scrutinized
| Highly cited | No |
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