Equipping Culturally Competent Students: The Development of Cultural Intelligence in the Classroom and Beyond

In a globalized and multi-cultural world, it is increasingly important for universities to produce graduates with the intercultural competencies to excel in their professions, provide leadership in multi-national arenas and organizations, and thrive in diverse local communities. This quasi-experimental, quantitative study explored the effects of various methods of classroom instruction on participants\u27 change in cultural competency as measured by the Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS). The changes in CQS scores were analyzed across three groups: a traditional classroom setting, an experiential classroom setting, and an enhanced study abroad group. The results showed substantial and statistically significant change in both classroom groups, with the experiential group showing a larger change in metacognitive scores. The enhanced study abroad sample was very small, but still showed statistically significant changes in metacognitive and behavioral dimensions. This study identified significant opportunities for future research to fill the gaps that exist in the quantitative research on cultural intelligence in the context of higher education. The results of this study also inform both policy and practice recommendations for higher education institutions seeking to equip both faculty and students in cultural competency