MULTILINGUAL SKILLS OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN THE CONTEXT OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE

Abstract

Intercultural communication has risen to a very important position in recent years in the fields of
politics, trade, tourism, health, education and communication. Today's universities base their
internationalization policies on the cultural diversity of academics and students. The potential
inherent in diversity facilitates the advancement of free thought and science, and makes significant
contributions to increasing cooperation between cultures and world peace. In order for people to
communicate effectively and appropriately while living in a different culture, the process of
intercultural communication competence must be continued successfully. In this process, the
individual's proficiency in the language of the culture he communicates with and other foreign
languages other than his mother tongue affects his intercultural communication competence. In this study, the multilingual skills of the students are described in the context of intercultural
communication competence by using the interview method with 41 international students studying
at Sivas Cumhuriyet University. The research is a qualitative study and the maxqda 2020 qualitative
data analysis program was used to analyze the data obtained from the interviewees. This study was
designed as an original study by expanding the multilingual skills topic included in the doctoral
thesis the author is preparing. It is thought that this study can contribute to intercultural
communication studies and serve as a reference for policy-making and implementing institutions