From culture shock to creative spark: how cultural intelligence ignites creativity in international student mobility programs

Purpose This research investigates how different forms of diversity, cognitive and income disparity, interact with cultural intelligence and self-efficacy to influence the creative process engagement of the Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) participants. Design/methodology/approach The data was collected from 1,940 participants of the Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) in 2023 through an online questionnaire using measurements adapted from previous studies. This study used the Blau and Gini indexes to capture two different types of diversity. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS 2.6. Hayes Macro PROCESS. Findings The study’s findings are significant, as they indicate that the cultural intelligence of IISMA students directly impacts their creative process engagement and self-efficacy. Notably, neither cognitive diversity nor income disparity had a moderating effect on the research model. However, the statistical results suggest that cognitive diversity, unlike income disparity, may weaken the model. Research limitations/implications This study acknowledges several limitations, including its reliance on an online questionnaire, the short program duration of 4–6 months, and the absence of contextual analyses related to university policies and country characteristics. Despite these limitations, the findings significantly enhance our understanding of cultural intelligence in student mobility. They offer practical recommendations for program improvement, emphasizing proper pre-departure preparation and optimization of program duration. Ultimately, the results underscore the need to strengthen cultural intelligence development and foster more inclusive mobility programs to provide more excellent students’ international experiences. Originality/value This research boldly highlights the bright side of diversity, providing a compelling counterpoint to the numerous studies that primarily emphasize its dark side.