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Intercultural competencies in ecuadorian universities

Abstract:

The leaders of multinational organizations must be prepared to function in the markets they are trying to develop and thus manage intercultural skills more efficiently. The general objective of this study was to identify the discourses on the intercultural competences that the directors of internationalization processes handle in the universities of Ecuador, in order to be able to better evaluate the success or not of a mobility experience abroad. The study was based on the theoretical support of the concept of intercultural competences and subsequently, the focus group methodology was used, in two sessions held in Ecuador, attended by people from 22 different organizations and universities (significant Kappa coefficient). Our findings indicate that the categories most frequently mentioned were tolerance, problem solving, adaptation and networking. It is concluded that more attention should be given to the study of intercultural competencies in our countries to catapult in this way the processes of internationalization in our institutions of higher education.