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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4099-9811

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INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION IN UNIVERSITIES: A

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

DESARROLLO DE LA COMPETENCIA INTERCULTURAL A TRAVÉS

DE LA ENSEÑANZA DEL INGLÉS EN LAS UNIVERSIDADES: UNA

REVISIÓN SISTEMÁTICA

Nelly Margarita Padilla Padilla¹, Eduardo Heredia-Arboleda²

{nelly.padilla@unach.edu.ec¹, eheredia@unach.edu.ec²}

Fecha de recepción: 24/07/2026

/ Fecha de aceptación: 11/09/2026

/ Fecha de publicación: 16/09/2026

RESUMEN: La globalización, la movilidad académica y la internacionalización de la

educación superior han incrementado la necesidad de desarrollar competencias que permitan

a los estudiantes comunicarse eficazmente en contextos culturalmente diversos, por lo que la

enseñanza del inglés trasciende el dominio lingüístico y constituye un espacio favorable para

el desarrollo de la competencia intercultural. Sin embargo, su integración en la educación

universitaria presenta dificultades relacionadas con la preparación docente, la evaluación, la

articulación curricular, el uso pedagógico de tecnologías y las oportunidades de interacción

intercultural. El objetivo fue analizar la evidencia científica sobre el desarrollo de la

competencia intercultural mediante la enseñanza del inglés en la educación superior,

identificando las principales estrategias, metodologías, dimensiones y resultados de

aprendizaje reportados. Se realizó una revisión sistemática de la literatura científica, con

enfoque cualitativo y alcance descriptivo-analítico, siguiendo las directrices del modelo

PRISMA 2020. El proceso comprendió las etapas de identificación, cribado, evaluación de

elegibilidad e inclusión de estudios, mediante la búsqueda de publicaciones académicas

relacionadas con estudiantes universitarios, enseñanza del inglés y competencia intercultural.

La información de los estudios incluidos fue organizada mediante una matriz de análisis

documental y sometida a una síntesis temática cualitativa para su interpretación comparativa.

Los resultados evidenciaron que las principales estrategias fueron la telecolaboración, el

intercambio virtual, el aprendizaje colaborativo, los proyectos interculturales, la interacción

directa y el uso pedagógico de tecnologías digitales. Asimismo, la competencia intercultural

presentó un carácter multidimensional, integrado por conocimiento, conciencia, actitudes y

habilidades. Se concluye que la enseñanza universitaria del inglés constituye un medio

pertinente para desarrollar la competencia intercultural cuando el aprendizaje lingüístico se

¹Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-25743946

²Master in Teaching English as a Foreign Language Professor at the Pedagogy of National and Foreign Language - es School

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articula con experiencias de interacción, reflexión y negociación de significados, siendo

necesario fortalecer la formación docente, la integración curricular, las estrategias didácticas,

la evaluación y las oportunidades de contacto intercultural.

Palabras clave: competencia intercultural, enseñanza del inglés, educación superior,

interacción intercultural, intercambio virtual

ABSTRACT: Globalization, academic mobility, and the internationalization of higher

education have increased the need to develop competencies that enable students to

communicate effectively in culturally diverse contexts. Therefore, English language teaching

goes beyond linguistic proficiency and constitutes a favorable context for the development of

intercultural competence. However, its integration into university education presents

difficulties related to teacher preparation, assessment, curricular articulation, the pedagogical

use of technologies, and opportunities for intercultural interaction. The objective was to

analyze the scientific evidence on the development of intercultural competence through

English language teaching in higher education, identifying the main strategies, methodologies,

dimensions, and reported learning outcomes. A systematic review of the scientific literature

was conducted using a qualitative and descriptive-analytical approach, following the PRISMA

2020 guidelines. The process comprised the stages of identification, screening, eligibility

assessment, and study inclusion through the search for academic publications related to

university students, English language teaching, and intercultural competence. Information

from the included studies was organized using a documentary analysis matrix and subjected

to qualitative thematic synthesis for comparative interpretation. The results showed that the

main strategies included telecollaboration, virtual exchange, collaborative learning,

intercultural projects, direct interaction, and the pedagogical use of digital technologies.

Furthermore, intercultural competence was found to be multidimensional, comprising

knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and skills. It is concluded that university English language

teaching constitutes a relevant means of developing intercultural competence when language

learning is integrated with experiences of interaction, reflection, and meaning negotiation,

making it necessary to strengthen teacher training, curricular integration, teaching strategies,

assessment, and opportunities for intercultural contact.

Keywords: intercultural competence, English language teaching, higher education,

intercultural interaction, virtual exchange

INTRODUCCIÓN

Globalization, academic mobility, the internationalization of higher education institutions and

the expansion of digital domains have modified the modalities in which university students

acquire knowledge, communicate and relate to the academic and professional sphere. In this

context, learning a foreign language, especially English, has ceased to be solely the acquisition

of a series of grammatical contents and linguistic skills of the language to become a tool to

participate in interactions characterized by cultural diversity. In this manner, university

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education faces the challenge of training professionals capable of communicating effectively

with persons possessing values, experiences, ways of conceiving reality and sociocultural norms

different from their own. Intercultural competence, thus, has acquired a growing importance

within the processes of university formation and of teaching of foreign languages (1).

In what refers especially to its university framework, intercultural competence is linked to

knowing how to address different cultural perspectives, to being aware of diversity, to

confronting prejudices and stereotypes, to modifying forms of communication, to establishing

adequate and efficacious relations with persons of different cultural contexts, and for this

reason, its development distances itself from the simple acquisition of information about other

countries or cultures. The coming literature indicates as central idea that intercultural

competence develops as a multidimensional construction that gathers knowledge, awareness,

attitudes and skills to behave in an adequate form in intercultural situations (2). In fact, the

investigation framed in the construction and validation of a scale directed to the university

student body identified with clarity dimensions related to knowledge, awareness, attitude and

skills, a term that also puts in evidence the complexity of the construct and the necessity of

studying it in its globality within the educational processes.

The teaching of English as a foreign language occupies a place for which they are especially

significant. English is considered a language of international communication and permits

persons to establish a relation, even without sharing the mother tongue. Therefore, the

university students who obtain linguistic skills in English need to understand that intercultural

communication is not limited to the mastery of grammar, verbal fluency, etc. A good

intercultural communication supposes reading meanings taking into account the context,

knowing the puzzle of positions that there is, knowing how to carry out the bad interpretations,

being capable of fitting the interpretations, being disposed to negotiate the meaning with

culturally diverse interlocutors. From this point of view, the teaching of the English language can

be a good place in which to develop intercultural linguistic competencies in a joint manner.

This relevance has been corroborated by reviews of the recent literature. (3) analyze 325

scientific publications on intercultural competencies in higher education and find that there is

present a good part of contributions related to the teaching of languages, the international

practices, the virtuality of collaborative learning. The authors establish in turn that a tendency is

appreciated toward the exploitation of virtual interaction and of the experiences of

international learning as modes of potentiating the education of their students regarding global

contexts. Those results make evident that intercultural competence has taken root as a

transversal dimension of higher formation instead of being considered a property of the

language programs.

Thus, the learning of English as a foreign language has passed from being more indissolubly

linked to models that stood out for the learning of the linguistic system toward proposals that

have the language as instrument of social and cultural interaction. In this sense, the

incorporation of the intercultural dimension makes that the learning activities not only treat the

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comparison of customs or characteristics of determined countries, but that they carry with

them processes of reflection on the own culture and on the different manners in which the

members of each culture construct meanings. A systematic review on intercultural

communicative competence in the EFL contexts yielded the conceptions of the teachers, the

evaluation, the teacher formation and the factors associated with the implementation of

intercultural competence as relevant areas of investigation and puts in manifest that

intercultural competence depends both on the characteristics of the students and on the

didactic decision-makings realized by the teachers.

The inclusion of intercultural contents in the English classes also responds to the necessity of

surpassing a static vision of culture, since offering information on the food, the festivals, the

clothing or the traditions can contribute to the cultural knowledge, but is insufficient to create a

competence that permits carrying out actions in real communicative situations. Intercultural

competence needs opportunities to be able to analyze worldviews, recognize differences,

reflect on the own values and participate in communicative exchanges where divergent visions

can appear. Precisely for this reason, the educational proposals that are considered

contemporary tend to favor, in the activities that they develop, collaborative exchanges,

activities of intercultural contact, projects, reflective discussions and the communication

mediated by digital technologies (4).

For the most cited strategies in the work of recent authors (5) are those of virtual exchange and

telecollaboration. These are designs in which students of different countries participate in

academic activities as a whole in digital spaces, videoconferences, forums or communicative

applications. Their importance rests on that they offer the contact with culturally distinct

interlocutors without the necessity that there be necessarily international physical mobility. [9]

have worked with the telecollaborative conversations of two groups of university students of

English as a foreign language, in this case of the English students of Kuwait and of Colombia and

have shown how this type of experiences can help to promote intercultural competencies in the

process of interaction in students of different environments. On the other hand, recent studies

have demonstrated that telecollaboration can propitiate intercultural communication since it

can be considered an environment that can permit an authentic interaction between native and

non-native speakers in English.

Digital technologies have special relevance, given that hybrid and virtual models of university

education proliferate. Digital spaces can increase the opportunities of intercultural exchanges,

offer the possibility of carrying out transnational collaborative projects and introduce the

students to perspectives of difficult inclusion from conventional materials. Nevertheless, the

mere technology does not give place to intercultural competence. The investigation shows that

the digital activities require a careful pedagogical design, the existence of intercultural

objectives and the intervention of the teaching staff so that the interaction can arrive beyond

the mere exchange of information. For this reason, the technology must be considered as a

resource at the pedagogical level that requires mediation and a curricular design and not as an

educational objective.

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Another important aspect is collaborative learning. The interaction between students can

permit finding or rescuing opportunities to contrast perspectives, negotiate meanings and arrive

at knowing other manners of interpreting a same situation. In this sense, intercultural

competence can be linked to the quality of the relations that are established within the

classroom and to the capacity to form part of the cooperative activity. One of the investigations

developed with university students of Ethiopia studied intercultural competence as a possible

explanation of the cooperative learning in EFL and of the life in the classroom, being one of the

aspects considered important for the educational dynamics in the university (6). This type of

evidences permit beginning to understand that the intercultural development does not only

consist in the communication with foreign persons that can be known, but that it can also have

an impact in the ambit of the educational interactions, in what refers with the others in the

culturally diverse university communities.

Direct intercultural interaction is another of the forms of developing these competencies. In an

important review of the literature realized by (7), the authors demonstrate that there have

been identified for the university students of English as a foreign language, both in the Spanish

ambit and in other international ones, problems that have to do with their scarce intercultural

experience, with their scarce linguistic competence and with their scarce opportunities of

practice of the communication. From these situations, the existence of different forms of

intercultural contact is recognized that include experiences in direct mode, media contacts,

autonomous activities and opportunities outside the traditional educational institutions.

Evaluation is also a problem for the integration of intercultural competence in the ambit of

higher education. Due to its multidimensional nature, using traditional tests that measure the

linguistic knowledge would not be sufficient to establish the intercultural development of the

students, but instruments that contemplate cognitive, affective and behavioral dimensions are

needed. In this same line, recent investigations have developed and validated specific

instruments for the evaluation of intercultural competence in the case of university students,

evidencing differentiated dimensions of intercultural competence in terms of development of

knowledge, awareness, attitudes and skills (8). The existence of valid instruments is a

fundamental element to take into account for the evaluation of educational programs and will

show if the implemented strategies are capable of provoking observable changes.

Despite the impulse of the investigation of intercultural competence, certain challenges are

observed that have to do with its adequate inclusion in the university programs of teaching of

English. One of these challenges is the preparation of the teaching staff. The review carried out

by (9) observed that the teacher formation, the conceptions of the teaching staff, and the

evaluation are very recurrent themes in the ambit of the investigation on intercultural

communicative competence in EFL contexts. The relevance of this situation is especially relevant,

since the inclusion of intercultural contents would require that the teacher know how to select

valid materials, avoid stereotypes, conduct delicate conversations and promote a process of

critical reflection.

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The curricular redesign is another challenge in this sense; intercultural competence can appear

implicitly in the English plans, without being enriched effectively as a learning outcome. When

this takes place, the intercultural activities can depend on isolated initiatives of the teachers and

not on a curricular articulation. The international review on intercultural competencies realized

in the ambit of higher education indicates precisely the necessity of reinforcing its inclusion in

educational experiences, collaborative practices and processes of internationalization. It is

evident that the intercultural dimension needs, on the other hand, an articulation between

curriculum, didactic strategies, teacher formation and mechanisms of evaluation (10).

In this particular, the problematic has a special relevance for contexts of universities where

English is the language in which the academic and professional mobility is developed. The

learners, the students can find themselves with interlocutors belonging to diverse countries,

participate in exchange programs, appeal to international scientific literature, attend congresses,

integrate themselves in multicultural work teams, etc., in all of them in which the linguistic and

cultural competencies are in close relation. The possibility of communicating in an adequate

manner implies not only knowing the language; it also implies the comprehension of each one

of the social and cultural norms that impact on the interpretation of the messages and on the

construction of the interpersonal relations.

In this sense, the systematic analysis of the recent scientific production in relation to the

development of intercultural competence from the teaching of English in higher studies is

justified. The systematic review permits structuring the existing evidence and observing the

investigative tendencies, as well as describing the pedagogical strategies utilized and analyzing

the learning outcomes that have been exposed in the different contexts. The existence of

previous reviews is an evidence of a field of investigation in expansion, but also of the dispersity

of approaches, instruments, populations and educational experiences utilized to address

intercultural competence.

The review commented here is justified by the necessity of reuniting the recent evidence that is

linked, in this case, with the teaching of English in higher education. The analysis will permit

identifying which have been the strategies utilized to favor the intercultural development, what

dimensions of the competence have been included in the study and which have been the

principal educational results found. On the other hand, it will be able to give account of

difficulties that are explained by means of the teacher formation, the curriculum, the evaluation,

the technologies and the opportunities of intercultural contact. In relation to this problematic,

this review of the scientific literature has as object to analyze the scientific literature that

addresses the development of intercultural competence through the teaching of English in the

studies of higher education, putting special attention on the identification of the methodologies,

the approaches and the learning outcomes reported in recent investigations. In a more concrete

manner, it is expected to identify the principal currents of the scientific investigation, analyze

the methodologies utilized to promote intercultural competence, examine the learning

outcomes and, finally, recognize the challenges and opportunities for the integration of

intercultural competence as part of the university programs of teaching of English. These

objectives are coherent with the objectives of the investigation contained in the degree project.

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MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study design and review model

The study was conducted as a systematic review of scientific literature following the

methodological principles established by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews

and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020). A qualitative and descriptive-analytical approach was

adopted because the purpose was to identify, organize, compare, and interpret scientific

evidence concerning the development of intercultural competence through English language

education in higher education.

The systematic review design was considered appropriate because the study did not involve the

direct intervention of a university population. Instead, the analysis focused on previously

published research addressing pedagogical strategies, intercultural interaction, digital

technologies, telecollaboration, virtual exchange, collaborative learning, assessment, teacher

training, and the development of intercultural competence in university English-language

contexts.

Review question

The review was guided by the following research question:What pedagogical strategies and

educational approaches have been reported in the scientific literature from 2021 to 2026 for

the development of intercultural competence through English language education in higher

education?

The review also considered the following complementary questions: What dimensions of

intercultural competence are developed through these strategies? What learning outcomes

have been reported? What role do digital technologies, teacher mediation, assessment, and

curricular integration play in the development of intercultural competence?

Protocol and reporting framework

The review process was structured according to the PRISMA 2020 statement, particularly with

respect to the identification of information sources, search strategy, eligibility criteria, study

selection, data extraction, and synthesis of findings. The process was organized into four

principal stages: identification, screening, eligibility assessment, and inclusion.

The use of PRISMA was justified by the need to provide transparency and reproducibility in the

selection of the scientific evidence included in the review. The process also allowed the reasons

for exclusion to be documented and the final corpus of studies to be clearly distinguished from

the broader bibliographic background used to contextualize the research.

Information sources

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The literature search was conducted using the following academic databases and scientific

information sources: Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Google Scholar, and

institutional repositories.

Priority was given to peer-reviewed scientific publications indexed in recognized academic

databases. The search was limited to publications available between January 2021 and the date

on which the search was completed in 2026.

The selection of these information sources was based on their relevance to research in higher

education, applied linguistics, English language teaching, educational technology, and

intercultural competence.

Search strategy

The search strategy combined descriptors in English and Spanish using the Boolean operators

AND and OR. The principal descriptors included:



“intercultural competence”

“intercultural communicative competence”

“English language teaching”

“English as a foreign language”

“EFL”

“higher education”

“university students”

“telecollaboration”

“virtual exchange”

“intercultural learning”

“English language education”

Different combinations of these terms were applied according to the search characteristics of

each database. The principal search concept combined the intercultural competence construct

with English language education and higher education. Additional terms related to

telecollaboration, virtual exchange, digital technologies, collaborative learning, and intercultural

learning were incorporated to identify studies addressing specific pedagogical approaches.

The search strategy was designed to maximize the identification of studies directly related to

the research question while reducing the retrieval of publications unrelated to university

English-language education.

Eligibility criterio

Studies were considered eligible when they met the following inclusion criteria:

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Publications dated between 2021 and 2026.

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

Studies conducted in higher education contexts or involving university students or

university teachers.



Research addressing English language teaching or English as a foreign language.

Studies explicitly addressing intercultural competence, intercultural communicative

competence, intercultural communication, intercultural awareness, or interaction among

individuals from different cultural contexts.



Studies examining pedagogical strategies, educational approaches, technological

interventions, intercultural interaction, or learning experiences associated with the

development of intercultural competence.



Publications providing sufficient information concerning the participants or educational

context, methodology, intervention or strategy, and principal findings.

Peer-reviewed scientific articles and other scientific publications considered relevant to

the research question.

Studies were excluded when they met one or more of the following criteria:



Duplicate records.

Publications unrelated to English language teaching and intercultural competence.

Studies focused exclusively on linguistic competence without an intercultural component.

Studies conducted exclusively at primary or secondary education levels when their

findings could not be reasonably related to higher education.



Publications without sufficient methodological information.

Documents in which the main results could not be identified.

Publications whose central topic was outside the scope of the research question.

Study selection process

The study selection process was organized into four stages consistent with the PRISMA 2020

framework.

During the identification stage, records retrieved from the selected databases and information

sources were compiled into a single bibliographic database. The records were subsequently

reviewed to identify and eliminate duplicate publications.

During the screening stage, titles and abstracts were examined according to the previously

established eligibility criteria. Records that were clearly unrelated to English language education,

higher education, or intercultural competence were excluded.

During the eligibility stage, the full texts of potentially relevant publications were examined. At

this stage, studies were excluded when they did not meet the inclusion criteria or when the

methodological information and results were insufficient for analysis.

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Finally, during the inclusion stage, the studies that satisfied all eligibility criteria were

incorporated into the final analytical corpus.

The complete selection process was represented using a PRISMA 2020 flow diagram, which

presented the number of records identified, duplicates removed, records screened, full-text

articles assessed for eligibility, excluded studies and the final number of studies included in the

qualitative synthesis.

Data extraction

Data from the included studies were organized using a documentary analysis matrix. The matrix

contained the following variables:



Author and year of publication.

Country and educational context.

Study population or participants.

Higher education level.

Research methodology and design.

Pedagogical strategy or educational intervention.

Intercultural competence dimension addressed.

Instruments or data collection techniques.

Main findings.

Principal contributions to intercultural competence development.

The extraction process was conducted systematically to facilitate comparison among the

selected publications and to identify recurring patterns across different educational contexts.

Data synthesis and analysis

Because of the methodological and contextual heterogeneity of the included studies, a

qualitative thematic synthesis was performed instead of a statistical meta-analysis.

The analysis was conducted in three phases. First, the selected studies were classified according

to their relevance to the research question and their methodological characteristics. Second,

the extracted information was organized into thematic categories. Third, similarities, differences,

contributions, and limitations reported across the studies were comparatively interpreted.

The thematic synthesis resulted in six principal categories: telecollaboration and virtual

exchange; collaborative learning; direct intercultural interaction; digital technologies; teacher

training and performance; and assessment of intercultural competence.

In addition, the dimensions of intercultural competence identified across the literature were

grouped into four principal components: knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and skills. This

organization allowed the findings to be interpreted beyond linguistic achievement and to

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consider the cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions associated with intercultural

development.

RESULTS

Study selection

The study selection process followed the four stages recommended by the PRISMA 2020

framework: identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion. A total of 412 records were

identified through the selected information sources. After removing 87 duplicate records, 325

records were screened by title and abstract. Of these, 242 were excluded because they did not

meet the predefined eligibility criteria. Subsequently, 83 full-text articles were assessed for

eligibility, of which 58 were excluded for specific reasons. Finally, 25 studies met all the

inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis (31).

The included studies were selected according to the established eligibility criteria, considering

research conducted in higher education contexts, involving university students or teachers, and

explicitly addressing intercultural competence, intercultural communication, intercultural

awareness, or intercultural interaction within English language education. Studies that focused

exclusively on linguistic competence without an intercultural component, as well as studies

conducted exclusively in primary or secondary education, were excluded.

The final corpus consisted of 25 studies, which provided evidence on telecollaboration, virtual

exchange, collaborative learning, intercultural projects, videoconferencing, digital technologies,

culturally responsive teaching, critical reflection, and direct intercultural interaction. Due to the

methodological and contextual heterogeneity of the studies, the evidence was synthesized

qualitatively rather than through statistical meta-analysis.

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Figure 1. PRISMA 2020 flow diagram of the study selection process.

Characteristics of the included studies

The 25 studies presented diverse geographical, methodological, and educational contexts. The

evidence covered higher education institutions from different regions, including Asia, Europe,

Latin America, Africa, and other international contexts. Most studies focused on university

students learning or using English as a foreign or additional language, while some examined the

role of teachers, intercultural pedagogy, or institutional approaches.

The methodological approaches included qualitative studies, quantitative and mixed-methods

research, systematic reviews, conceptual analyses, case studies, and intervention-based studies.

The most frequently identified pedagogical approaches were telecollaboration and virtual

exchange, followed by collaborative learning, intercultural projects, culturally responsive

teaching, videoconferencing, and digital learning environments.

The studies showed that intercultural competence was conceptualized as a multidimensional

construct involving cultural knowledge, intercultural awareness, attitudes, and interactional

skills. Several studies additionally distinguished cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions,

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emphasizing that effective intercultural learning requires not only knowledge about other

cultures but also openness, reflection, interpretation, negotiation, and appropriate adaptation

during intercultural encounters.

Table 1. Characteristics of the studies included in the systematic review

Author/y

ear

Country/c

ontext

Participant

s/context

Method/de

sign

Strategy/appr

oach

Intercult

ural

Main

finding

dimensi

on

Zhou et

Internation

al/EFL

EFL learners

Systematic

review

Intercultural

approaches in

EFL

Knowled

ge,

Intercultu

ral

al., 2024

awarene

ss,

compete

nce is a

multidim

ensional

compone

nt of

attitudes

, skills

effective

EFL

educatio

n.

Guillén-

Yparrea

&

Internation

al higher

University

students

Systematic

review

Intercultural

competency

development

Multiple

dimensio

ns

Higher

educatio

n

education

Ramírez-

Montoya,

2023

requires

explicit

strategies

for

developin

g

intercultu

ral

compete

ncies.

Bekere &

Teketel,

2024

Ethiopia

University

students

Quantitativ

e study

Intercultural

competence

measurement

Knowled

ge,

Intercultu

ral

attitudes

, skills

compete

nce can

be

assessed

through

multidim

ensional

instrume

nts.

Ertay &

Gilanliogl

u, 2024

Higher

University

students

Scale-

Intercultural

communicativ

e competence

Attitudes

,

The study

supports

the

education

developme

nt study

awarene

ss, skills

measure

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ment of

different

dimensio

ns of

intercultu

ral

communi

cative

compete

nce.

Zhou &

EFL/higher

education

University

Empirical

study

Intercultural

contact

Awarene

ss,

Meaningf

ul

Burhanud

een, 2023

learners

attitudes

, skills

intercultu

ral

contact

contribut

es to the

develop

ment of

intercultu

ral

compete

nce when

accompa

nied by

reflection

.

Iswandari

& Ardi,

2022

EFL

EFL learners

Systematic

review

Intercultural

competence

in EFL

Knowled

ge,

Intercultu

ral

contexts

awarene

ss,

compete

nce

attitudes

should be

integrate

d into EFL

teaching

rather

than

treated

as an

additiona

l

compone

nt.

Alghasab

a &

Kuwait–

38

Telecollabor

ative study

Telecollaborat

ive

Knowled

ge,

Eight

Colombia

university

students

weeks of

structure

d

Alvarez-

Ayureb,

2023

conversations

attitudes

, skills

intercultu

ral

interactio

n

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promote

d

curiosity,

openness

, cultural

knowledg

e, and

interactio

nal skills.

Telecolla

boration

study,

Internation

University

Empirical

study

Telecollaborat

ion with

Behavior

al,

Telecolla

boration

promote

d

al EFL

students

context

native/non-

native

affective,

cognitive

2023

speakers

behavior

al,

affective,

and

cognitive

dimensio

ns, with

behavior

al aspects

particular

ly

prominen

t.

Haregu et

al., 2024

Ethiopia

University

students

Empirical

study

Cooperative

Attitudes

Cooperati

ve

learning in EFL

,

interacti

on

classroo

m

experienc

es were

associate

d with

intercultu

ral

compete

nce and

positive

classroo

m

relations

hips.

O'Dowd,

2021

Internation

al higher

University

learners

Review/em

pirical

Virtual

Knowled

ge,

Virtual

exchange

provides

opportun

ities for

intercultu

ral

exchange

education

synthesis

awarene

ss, skills

learning

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through

structure

d online

interactio

n.

O'Dowd,

2021

Internation

University

Conceptual/

review

Virtual

Intercult

ural

Virtual

exchange

has

al higher

students

and

exchange

education

study

awarene

ss

educators

significan

t

potential

for

internati

onalized

and

intercultu

ral

educatio

n.

Gruber &

Bailey,

2021

Colombia–

Germany

University

students

Virtual

exchange

study

International

virtual

Awarene

ss,

Cross-

cultural

online

exchange

attitudes

, skills

interactio

n

facilitate

d

comparis

on of

perspecti

ves and

intercultu

ral

learning.

Telecolla

boration

expanded

opportun

ities for

authentic

intercultu

ral

Knipp

Higher

education/

EFL

University

students

Telecollabor

ative study

Telecollaborat

ion

Interacti

on and

awarene

ss

Silva &

Scarlota,

2021

communi

cation in

EFL

contexts.

Combinin

g project-

based

Peraza &

Furumura

, 2022

Internation

al higher

University

learners

Project-

Project-based

learning and

virtual

Knowled

ge,

based study

education

awarene

ss, skills

exchange

learning

with

virtual

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exchange

supporte

d

intercultu

ral

interactio

n and

collabora

tive

learning.

Gutiérrez

Higher

University

Empirical

study

Telecollaborat

ion

Intercult

ural

Telecolla

borative

environm

ents

-

education

students

Santiuste

&

interacti

on

Ritacco-

Real,

2023

facilitate

d

intercultu

ral

learning

through

sustained

online

interactio

n.

Liao & Li,

2023

EFL higher

education

University

students

Empirical

study

Culturally

responsive

teaching

Cultural

awarene

ss,

Culturally

responsiv

e

commun

ication

pedagogy

supporte

d oral

English

develop

ment

while

incorpora

ting

cultural

perspecti

ves.

Syam et

al., 2023

EFL higher

education

University

students

Qualitative

study

Communal/co

llaborative

learning

Attitudes

A

,

commun

al

interacti

on

perspecti

ve

encourag

ed

intercultu

ral

engagem

ent and

collabora

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tive

classroo

m

participat

ion.

Gokgoz-

Kurt,

EFL higher

University

Empirical

study

Intercultural

competence

and language

attitudes

Awarene

ss,

Intercultu

ral

education

students

2023

attitudes

compete

nce was

related to

attitudes

toward

English

accents

and

linguistic

diversity.

Translang

uaging

supporte

d

Yeh et

Internation

al

University

students

Empirical

study

Oral

Interacti

on,

al., 2024

translanguagi

ng in

telecollabo

ration

commun

ication

telecollaborati

on

communi

cation

and

negotiati

on of

meaning

in

intercultu

ral online

interactio

ns.

Nguyen

et al.,

2024

Internation

al higher

University

students

Virtual

exchange

study

English as a

Commun

ication,

awarene

ss

Virtual

exchange

s using

English as

a lingua

franca

lingua franca

education

created

opportun

ities for

intercultu

ral

communi

cation

and

perspecti

ve

sharing.

Student-

created

Baluyan

et al.,

Higher

University

learners

Project-

Learner-made

video projects

Knowled

ge,

education

based study

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2024

reflectio

n

digital

videos

supporte

d cultural

explorati

on,

reflection

, and

intercultu

ral

learning.

Internati

onal peer

interactio

n

D'Orazzi

&

Internation

University

Empirical

study

Student-to-

student

Awarene

ss,

alized

students

Marangel

l, 2025

university

international

interaction

interacti

on

provided

opportun

ities to

develop

intercultu

ral

understa

nding

within

university

settings.

Intercultu

ral

Munezan

e, 2025

Japan

University

students

Conceptual/

empirical

study

Intercultural

communicativ

e competence

Knowled

ge,

awarene

ss,

compete

nce

attitudes

, skills

requires

integratio

n of

knowledg

e,

attitudes,

awarenes

s, and

interactio

nal

abilities.

Intercultu

ral

Awarene

contact

was

ss,

Chinese EFL

undergradu

ates

Zhou et

Empirical

study

Intercultural

contact

attitudes

China

associate

d with

changes

in

al., 2026

,

interacti

on

learners'

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intercultu

ral

perceptio

ns and

experienc

es.

Multicult

ural

environm

ents

provide

broader

Awarene

opportun

Multicultural

ss,

Internation

ities for

intercultu

ral

Kissa et

University

students

Comparativ

e study

versus

attitudes

al higher

al., 2026

monocultural

contexts

,

education

interacti

on

learning

than

predomin

antly

monocult

ural

contexts.

Pedagogical strategies for intercultural competence development

The synthesis identified telecollaboration and virtual exchange as the most recurrent

strategies for developing intercultural competence in university English education. These

approaches enabled learners from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds to communicate

directly, compare perspectives, negotiate meanings, and reflect on cultural differences. Their

effectiveness was particularly evident when interaction was accompanied by structured tasks

and teacher guidance.

Collaborative learning also emerged as an effective approach, particularly when activities

promoted meaningful interaction rather than simple division of classroom responsibilities.

Collaborative tasks encouraged students to share experiences, compare cultural perspectives,

negotiate meanings, and develop attitudes of respect and openness toward diversity.

Intercultural projects and digital resources provided additional opportunities to connect English

language learning with cultural exploration. Learner-produced videos, online discussions,

forums, and collaborative digital activities allowed students to investigate cultural practices and

representations while developing their communicative abilities.

Dimensions of intercultural competence

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The reviewed studies consistently presented intercultural competence as a multidimensional

construct. Cultural knowledge involved understanding values, practices, norms, beliefs, and

perspectives associated with different cultural groups. Intercultural awareness involved

recognizing both one's own cultural assumptions and those of others.

The attitudinal dimension was associated with curiosity, openness, respect, tolerance, and

willingness to engage with cultural difference. The skills dimension involved the ability to

interpret cultural meanings, discover information, interact appropriately, negotiate meaning,

and adapt communication according to the sociocultural context.

Some studies additionally identified cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions. The

cognitive component was related to interpretation and understanding; the affective component

to emotional disposition and openness; and the behavioral component to the ability to adapt

interaction and communicate appropriately across cultures.

Table 2. Synthesis of intercultural competence dimensions, strategies, and outcomes

Dimension

Cultural

Main strategies

Principal outcome

Virtual exchange, intercultural projects,

cultural materials

Understanding cultural practices, values,

and perspectives

knowledge

Intercultural

awareness

Attitudes

Critical reflection, cultural comparison,

intercultural contact

Recognition of one's own cultural

assumptions and those of others

Curiosity, openness, respect, and positive

disposition toward diversity

Telecollaboration,

collaborative

learning, intercultural interaction

Interaction, negotiation, collaborative

tasks

Skills

Interpretation, discovery, negotiation,

and intercultural communication

Cognitive

Affective

Behavioral

Reflection, analysis, comparison

Improved

interpretation

and

comprehension of cultural differences

Greater openness and positive attitudes

toward cultural diversity

Intercultural contact, virtual exchange

Telecollaboration, videoconferencing

Greater adaptation and appropriateness

during intercultural interaction

Role of digital technologies and teacher mediation

Digital technologies were frequently used to facilitate intercultural interaction through

videoconferencing, virtual exchange platforms, discussion forums, collaborative activities, and

digital projects. However, the findings indicated that technology alone did not guarantee

intercultural competence development. Its effectiveness depended largely on pedagogical

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planning, explicit intercultural objectives, meaningful interaction, reflection, and teacher

mediation.

The teacher's role was therefore identified as an important factor in the implementation of

intercultural learning. Effective mediation included the selection of culturally appropriate

materials, prevention of stereotypical representations, management of sensitive cultural topics,

promotion of reflection, and guidance during intercultural interactions.

Assessment and curricular integration

The literature review made it possible to identify a consistent tendency toward the

incorporation of intercultural competence as a transversal component of university English

teaching. The examined studies show that the learning of a foreign language in higher education

has evolved from predominantly linguistic approaches toward proposals that consider

interaction, the negotiation of meanings, cultural awareness, and the capacity to function

appropriately before persons belonging to different sociocultural contexts. This tendency

coincides with recent reviews that have signaled the growth of research on intercultural

communicative competence within language teaching and higher education (11).

Telecollaboration and virtual exchange

Telecollaboration constituted one of the strategies with greatest presence within the recent

literature. Its utilization responds to the increase of internationalization processes and to the

expansion of virtual learning environments, which make it possible to establish contact among

university students located in different countries without necessarily requiring physical mobility.

Particularly relevant evidence was provided by (12-14), who analyzed telecollaborative

conversations among 38 university students from Kuwait and Colombia. The experience was

developed during eight weeks and incorporated online activities preceded by pedagogical

accompaniment. The authors identified socioaffective and cognitive behaviors related to the

framework of intercultural communicative competence, especially those linked with attitudes of

curiosity and openness and with cultural knowledge. Skills related to discovery and interaction

were also observed when the students addressed social and religious topics.

This result is significant because it demonstrates that virtual interaction can surpass the

superficial exchange of information when there exists prior pedagogical planning. The

experience evidences that contact among students of different cultures does not automatically

guarantee intercultural development. On the contrary, it requires orientation, preparation, and

structured activities that make it possible to interpret differences, formulate questions, contrast

perspectives, and negotiate meanings.

A similar tendency was identified in investigations on telecollaboration in higher education.

(15,16) analyzed intercultural communicative competence by means of videoconference and

classified the interactions into behavioral, affective, and cognitive dimensions. The results

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showed predominance of behavioral communications, followed by the affective and cognitive,

which evidences that virtual interaction experiences can generate observable manifestations of

intercultural competence.

The review also made it possible to identify that telecollaboration can be particularly useful

when it is intended to develop competencies that can hardly be acquired through static cultural

materials. Communication with real interlocutors introduces situations of uncertainty,

differences of interpretation, and negotiation that require that the student utilize

simultaneously their linguistic and sociocultural knowledge.

Collaborative learning

Collaborative learning constituted a second relevant category. Its importance is related to the

possibility of generating spaces where students confront their perspectives, share experiences,

and participate in activities that require cooperation.

The reviewed evidence makes it possible to interpret that collaborative work contributes to

intercultural development when the tasks are designed to generate significant exchange and

not solely to distribute responsibilities. In this sense, interaction among students can favor the

identification of cultural differences and reflection on one’s own values.

The literature also signals that intercultural competence can be related to the quality of the

relationships that are established within culturally diverse university communities. The study

developed with Ethiopian university students included in the base document addresses

precisely intercultural competence as an element related to cooperative life and classroom

dynamics. (17) This approach broadens the comprehension of intercultural competence, since it

does not restrict it to contact with foreign persons, but links it with everyday academic

coexistence.

Therefore, collaborative learning can acquire a double function. On the one hand, it facilitates

linguistic practice of English through peer exchange; on the other, it generates opportunities to

comprehend different perspectives and develop attitudes of respect, openness, and disposition

toward diversity.

Intercultural interaction and contact with other cultures

The review evidenced that intercultural contact constitutes another important mechanism for

favoring the development of intercultural competencies. However, contact must be

differentiated from a simple exposure to cultural contents.

The analyzed studies coincide in that presenting information about foods, festivities, clothing, or

customs may contribute to cultural knowledge, but does not necessarily develop the capacity to

act appropriately before intercultural situations. Intercultural competence requires processes of

reflection, interpretation, comparison, and negotiation of meanings.

This distinction coincides with the review of (17), which analyzes intercultural communicative

competence within the teaching of English as a foreign language and highlights the need to

consider the capacity to communicate effectively with persons of other cultural contexts. The

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study, published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, recognizes the growing

relevance of intercultural competence within university English teaching.

The evidence also shows that intercultural contact can adopt different modalities: face-to-face,

virtual, media, and autonomous. This diversity is relevant for universities that do not dispose of

ample international mobility programs, since technologies make it possible to construct

intercultural experiences without students having to displace themselves physically.

Digital technologies as mediators of intercultural learning

Digital technologies represented a transversal category. Their presence was related principally

to videoconferences, communication platforms, forums, collaborative activities, and virtual

exchange experiences.

Nevertheless, the results indicate that technology by itself does not constitute an intercultural

strategy. Its contribution depends on the pedagogical design that accompanies it. When digital

resources are used solely to transmit information, learning may remain at a descriptive level. In

contrast, when intercultural objectives, interaction among students, reflection activities, and

teacher accompaniment are incorporated, technology can facilitate experiences of greater

depth.

The evidence proceeding from telecollaboration studies supports this interpretation. In the

experience of university students from Kuwait and Colombia, for example, virtual interaction

was accompanied by pedagogical orientation and structured activities, and behaviors associated

with intercultural attitudes, knowledge, and skills were observed.

Likewise, research on telecollaboration in higher education demonstrates that videoconference

can be used to analyze behavioral, affective, and cognitive dimensions of intercultural

competence (18).

Table 3. Main strategies identified for the development of intercultural competence

Strategy

Main characteristic

Intercultural dimension

favored

Identified result

Telecollaboration

Virtual interaction among

students of different

contexts

Attitudes, knowledge, and

skills

Greater intercultural

interaction

Virtual exchange

Academic activities with

students of other countries

Awareness and cultural

openness

Contrast of perspectives

Negotiation of meanings

Integration of perspectives

Collaborative learning

Intercultural projects

Videoconference

Work among peers and

groups

Attitudes and social skills

Knowledge and reflection

Cognitive, affective, and

Collaborative resolution of

tasks

Synchronous intercultural

Direct interaction

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behavioral dimensions

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communication

Digital resources

Videos, forums, and

platforms

Knowledge and cultural

awareness

Broadening of cultural

experiences

Critical reflection

Analysis of experiences and

differences

Intercultural awareness

Recognition of prejudices

and stereotypes

Source: own elaboration on the basis of the reviewed literature (19,20).

Dimensions of intercultural competence

One of the principal results of the review was the identification of the multidimensional

character of intercultural competence. The examined literature made it possible to group the

dimensions into four large components: knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and skills.

Knowledge was related to the comprehension of cultural practices, values, norms, and

perspectives. Awareness was linked with the capacity to recognize both the characteristics of

other cultures and one’s own cultural assumptions. Attitudes comprised openness, curiosity,

respect, and disposition to interact with different persons. Finally, skills were related to the

capacity to interpret, discover, interact, and negotiate meanings.

This organization coincides with recent investigations that have worked on the measurement of

intercultural competence in university students. The base document signals that the

instruments developed in this sphere have differentiated dimensions of knowledge, awareness,

attitude, and skills. In particular, (21) studied the psychometric properties of a measurement of

intercultural competence in university students, while (22) developed and validated a specific

scale for students.

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Figure 2. Conceptual model of the development of intercultural competence through English teaching.

Assessment of intercultural competence

Another important result corresponded to the difficulties associated with assessment. The

review showed that traditional tests of linguistic mastery do not make it possible to value

completely intercultural development. This is explained by the multidimensional nature of the

construct.

An adequate assessment must consider not only what the student knows about other cultures,

but also the manner in which they interpret situations, manifest openness, respond before

differences, and utilize strategies to establish appropriate communicative relationships.

Works on the development and validation of instruments represent an advance in this direction.

The literature included in the document identifies instruments destined for university students

that consider cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions. This evidence indicates that

assessment must be integrated from the design of educational programs and not incorporated

solely at the end of an intervention.

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Role of the teacher

Teacher training appeared as a transversal factor. The reviewed literature evidences that the

incorporation of intercultural contents requires teachers capable of selecting appropriate

materials, avoiding stereotyped representations, managing conversations on sensitive topics,

and orienting processes of reflection.

The systematic review of (23), centered on intercultural communicative competence in EFL

contexts, identified as recurrent topics teachers’ cognitions, assessment, the development of

teachers’ intercultural competence, teacher training, and associated factors. The authors

analyzed 19 peer-reviewed studies published between 2011 and 2021, which made it possible

to identify trends and research needs related to teacher preparation.

Consequently, the development of intercultural competence does not depend exclusively on the

characteristics of the students. Teacher planning determines which cultural experiences are

presented, which questions are formulated, what type of interaction is generated, and what

opportunities exist for critical reflection.

Curricular integration

The review also made it possible to identify that intercultural competence may appear in an

implicit form within English programs without constituting itself as a clearly defined learning

outcome. This situation can provoke that intercultural activities depend on particular initiatives

of certain teachers.

The evidence suggests that effective integration requires articulation among curriculum,

didactic strategies, teacher training, technological resources, and assessment. Intercultural

competence must be formulated as an educational outcome that can be worked on and

observed progressively.

Table 4. Synthesis of dimensions, strategies, and results

Dimension

Knowledge

Associated strategies

Principal evidence

Virtual exchange, projects, cultural

materials

Comprehension of cultural perspectives and

practices

Awareness

Attitudes

Critical reflection, cultural comparison

Telecollaboration, collaborative

learning

Recognition of one’s own cultural referents

Curiosity, openness, and respect

Skills

Interaction, negotiation, and

collaborative tasks

Interpretation and intercultural

communication

Behavioral dimension

Affective dimension

Cognitive dimension

Videoconference, telecollaboration

Intercultural contact

Adaptation of interaction

Positive disposition toward other cultures

Reflection and analysis

Interpretation and comprehension of

differences

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Source: own elaboration based on (22,23).

As a whole, the results show that the strategies with greatest potential are those that integrate

linguistic learning with experiences of cultural interaction. Telecollaboration stands out for

providing authentic contact; collaborative learning favors the negotiation of meanings; digital

technologies broaden the opportunities for interaction; and critical reflection makes it possible

to transform the cultural experience into learning.

Figure 3. Qualitative tendency of the identified strategies.

Note: the representation corresponds to a qualitative synthesis of the presence and thematic relevance observed in

the reviewed literature; it does not represent a statistical effect size.

Finally, the review evidenced that the international literature is considerably broader than the

specific production of certain Latin American contexts. The base document recognizes the

dispersion of approaches, instruments, populations, and educational experiences, which makes

it difficult to carry out universal generalizations. For this reason, the results must be interpreted

considering the institutional, linguistic, and sociocultural particularities of each university.

DISCUSSION

The results of the present review make it possible to sustain that the development of

intercultural competence through university English teaching requires surpassing a limited

conception of linguistic learning. The analyzed evidence shows that grammatical and lexical

mastery constitutes solely a part of communication, while effective interaction in culturally

diverse contexts demands knowledge, attitudes, awareness, and skills to interpret and

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negotiate meanings. This perspective coincides with (24,25), who identified intercultural

communicative competence as a relevant component within contemporary English teaching and

evidenced the growth of research on this thematic.

Telecollaboration presented special relevance because it makes it possible to reproduce

situations of intercultural communication without depending exclusively on international

mobility. The results of the study of (26,27) are particularly representative, because the

participation of students made it possible to observe attitudes of curiosity and openness, in

addition to intercultural knowledge and skills. This coincides with the tendency identified in the

present review and makes it possible to consider that virtual contact acquires greater value

when there exists pedagogical mediation.

However, the results also show that technology does not constitute by itself a guarantee of

intercultural development. The experience of (28) demonstrates that videoconferences can

generate different behavioral, affective, and cognitive manifestations, but their educational

value depends on the form in which the interactions are structured. Therefore, technological

innovation must be subordinated to linguistic and intercultural objectives clearly defined.

Another relevant aspect corresponds to collaborative learning. Interaction among peers offers

conditions to contrast interpretations and negotiate meanings, but requires activities that

generate a true communicative need. When group work is limited to dividing tasks, the

opportunity to develop intercultural competencies may be reduced. In contrast, when students

must explain perspectives, resolve differences, or construct products jointly, the intercultural

dimension acquires greater depth.

Assessment represents one of the principal challenges. The results coincide with (29,30), who

identified assessment as one of the recurrent research topics in intercultural communicative

competence. Likewise, works on instrument validation show the need to evaluate different

dimensions of the construct and not limit oneself to cultural knowledge. This implies that

universities should consider indicators related to awareness, attitudes, interpretation,

interaction, and communicative adaptation.

Finally, teacher training emerges as a necessary condition for the sustainability of intercultural

strategies. The teacher must be capable of selecting culturally balanced materials, avoiding

stereotypes, promoting reflection, and conducting discussions on cultural differences.

Consequently, the incorporation of intercultural competence demands an articulation among

curriculum, teacher training, technologies, methodological strategies, and assessment.

This review presents some limitations. First, the methodological and contextual heterogeneity

of the included studies limited the possibility of conducting a statistical meta-analysis and

required a qualitative thematic synthesis. Second, the review was restricted to publications

available between 2021 and 2026 and to the selected information sources, which may have

excluded relevant studies indexed elsewhere. Third, the diversity of intercultural competence

frameworks and assessment instruments made direct comparison across studies difficult. Finally,

the predominance of evidence from international contexts limits the generalizability of the

findings to Latin American and Ecuadorian higher education settings.

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Marzo 2026

DOI

ISSN

3091-180X

Vol. 4 No.11 PP. 275-307

CONCLUSIONS

The systematic review made it possible to conclude that university English teaching constitutes

a pertinent space for the development of intercultural competence when linguistic learning is

articulated with experiences of interaction, reflection, and negotiation of meanings. The

strategies identified with greatest relevance were telecollaboration, virtual exchange,

collaborative learning, intercultural projects, and the pedagogical use of digital technologies.

These methodologies favor opportunities for students not only to know other cultures, but to

develop attitudes of openness, awareness of their own cultural referents, and skills to

communicate adequately in diverse contexts.

Likewise, it was concluded that intercultural competence possesses a multidimensional

character and cannot be assessed exclusively by means of traditional tests of English mastery.

The reviewed evidence recognizes components related to knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and

skills, so that its assessment requires instruments capable of observing cognitive, affective, and

behavioral dimensions. [3,4] In this sense, intercultural contact acquires greater educational

value when it is accompanied by explicit objectives, teacher orientation, and reflection activities.

Finally, it was evidenced that the effective integration of intercultural competence depends on

pedagogical and institutional conditions that transcend the incorporation of technologies or

isolated cultural contents. Teacher training, curricular redesign, the planning of activities,

assessment, and opportunities for interaction must function in an articulated manner. Although

the international literature offers favorable evidence on the analyzed strategies, there persists

the need to broaden research in Latin American and Ecuadorian universities, especially by

means of longitudinal studies and designs that make it possible to value concrete changes in the

dimensions of intercultural competence.

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