‘Interculturality’ in higher education as student intercultural learning and development: a case study in South Korea

This paper discusses the topic of ‘interculturality’ in higher education as it relates to global student mobility and internationalization efforts at higher education institutions. Starting with the underlying idea of ‘internationalization at home’, it explores domestic students’ intercultural experiences at a summer international program in Korea. Four main themes emerged from this case study, interpreted as student intercultural learning and development. They include: (1) intercultural impact due to the presence of international students; (2) personal intercultural change including development in construing cultural differences; (3) the English language perceived as a tool rather than an end; and (4) intercultural experiences with international faculty in class. This study concludes that ‘interculturality’ in higher education can be understood as student intercultural learning and development, as noted with domestic students.