Challenges in cross-cultural collaboration: Indonesian students' experiences in international seminar presentation with NEUST peers

This study aims to explore the challenges experienced by Indonesian students in cross-cultural collaboration during online international seminar presentations with peers from Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST), Philippines. This study employed a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with four students from the English Education Study Program, Universitas Muhammadiyah Kendari (UMK), selected via purposive sampling. The data were analyzed using Moustakas' (1994) phenomenological framework, including epoché, phenomenological reduction through horizonalization, imaginative variation, and synthesis of meanings and essences. The findings revealed five interconnected themes: (1) psychological challenges and speaking confidence, (2) linguistic barriers in spontaneous communication, (3) challenges during academic presentations and Q&A sessions, (4) intercultural awareness and openness to differences, and (5) communication strategies and adaptation. The discussion is framed through Byram's (1997) Intercultural Communicative Competence and Deardorff's (2006) Process Model of Intercultural Competence, indicating emerging intercultural awareness rather than complete competence achievement. This study implies the need for structured preparation and inclusive environments in international academic collaborations.