Twelfth Global Studies Conference

Abstract

In the twenty-first century, higher education institutions face a number of challenges in the training they offer, among which is to contribute to that students remain intellectually and culturally viable in a world of constant change. This implies preparing them to compete in the global market and keep abreast of the avalanche, of information technology and globalized knowledge in the context of global leadership (Saya & Hayward, 2003). The development of intercultural competences in the processes of internationalization within higher education institutions is considered as a response to face the current challenges (Deardoff, 2006). The main objective of this research is to evaluate if the internationalization processes offered by Ecuadorian universities are having an effect on the formation of intercultural competences in undergraduate students. The study was carried out in undergraduate students of Ecuadorian universities through a mixed design that includes several stages and different groups of participants. Initially, the concept of intercultural competences that a group of managers have in charge of the internationalization of Latin American universities was identified and the degree of relevance that they consider was determined in the formation of global leaders. Then, the concept of intercultural competences was compared to assess how it corresponds to theoretical developments reported in the literature.