Intercultural competence for students of Spanish: can we teach it? Can we afford not to teach it?

This article considers the role of language learners in the global society and the extent to which interaction between different language communities can be regarded as possible without intercultural competence. It moves on to review the skills and competencies that can be taught to undergraduates in an attempt to enable them to engage more effectively with the target language culture while on their Year Abroad. After discussing the merits of various activities that can be worked on and ways of assessing student performance, it reports on the reactions of students undergoing intercultural training in readiness for their period of residence abroad. As a final measure of student engagement, it explores the kind of projects students feel able to undertake as a result of the training received, while on placement in universities and companies and teaching as assistants in Spain