A longitudinal study on intercultural awareness and foreign language acquisition in the Netherlands

In a longitudinal study we assessed the effect of a four-year International Business Communication program at a university in the Netherlands on students’ intercultural awareness and foreign language acquisition. In pre-test and post-test a measurement instrument featuring everyday (monocultural and intercultural) dialogues involving business associates was used to assess intercultural awareness in a group of 39 students. In addition, self-assessments of students’ mastery of foreign language and interest in other cultures were collected on both occasions. The results indicate that students’ mastery of the foreign languages English and Spanish had increased. However, there was little evidence to indicate an effect of the teaching program on the development of students’ intercultural awareness