Developing intercultural awareness through participating in exchange programs

Abstract As studying abroad in overseas universities is regarded as a major means of internationalizing higher education by enriching students’ language and cultural experiences, the number of Asian students participating in exchange programs in non-Anglophone countries has increased dramatically in the past few years. To enrich the empirical understanding of Asian student sojourners in non-Anglophone universities, the study investigated a Taiwanese student’s intercultural development while participating in a six-month exchange program in the Netherlands. Employing a qualitative case study methodology, the study collected data in the participant’s pre-sojourn, during-sojourn, and post-sojourn phases through multiple sources, including semi-structured interviews, reflection journals, and informal conversations. The findings suggest that the participant shifted from basic cultural awareness to advanced cultural awareness and intercultural awareness. These findings have implications for incorporating intercultural education in internationalized universities.