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. 2024 Feb 13;10(4):e26240.
doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26240. eCollection 2024 Feb 29.

Practice of Vietnamese tertiary learners' intercultural competence: An influential factor affecting entrepreneurial capabilities

Vuong Uyen Thy Huynh  1   2 , Yongxia Ma  1 , Thi Hoang Oanh Thieu  2   3 , Quoc Lap Trinh  4
Affiliations

Practice of Vietnamese tertiary learners' intercultural competence: An influential factor affecting entrepreneurial capabilities

Vuong Uyen Thy Huynh et al. Heliyon. .

Abstract

Intercultural competence (IC) is believed to enhance new graduates' entrepreneurial capabilities and employability in this 21st century. This quantitative study investigates learners' perceived levels of IC, regarding its four components: knowledge, attitudes, skills, and awareness [1,2]. An online survey comprising 40 items adapted from Baroudi's questionnaire [3] based on Byram's conceptual framework of IC [1,2] was administered to learners at a recently established state university in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. 148 eligible respondents were recruited on a volunteer basis. SPSS was used to analyze collected data. Results show learners' high perceived level of IC. Learners' intercultural attitudes component was found to be at the highest perceived level. In addition, knowledge and skills equally stood at the lowest level of learners' perceived IC. Learners' gender and academic field did not affect their perceived IC levels. However, participants' academic major showed to have a significant impact on learners' intercultural awareness. The findings inform stakeholders about the appropriateness of currently-implemented curricula for intercultural education and raise their awareness of the possible gap between learners' perceived levels of IC and their actual IC. The study also contributes insights into the literature on the relationship between learners' IC and entrepreneurial capabilities and employability. Finally, suggestions for future studies on IC are included.

Keywords: Entrepreneurial capabilities and employability; Higher education institutions (HEIs); Intercultural competence (IC); Intercultural competence development (ICD); Vietnam.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Image 1
Graphical abstract
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Theoretical framework [1,2].
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Research model.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Participants' demographic features.
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Fig. 4
Results of the scale tests.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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