Intercultural Skills’ Assessment

1. At your university, can you observe a growing cultural diversity?

2. Age, gender, and nationality are essential characteristics of a person.

3. When you are on university grounds, do you regularly hear different languages being spoken?

4. How would you evaluate yourself on empathy on a 1-5 scale, where 1 means very weak, 2 weak, 3 neither weak nor strong, 4 strong, and 5 very strong?

5. How would you evaluate yourself on curiosity on a 1-5 scale, where 1 means very weak, 2 weak, 3 neither weak nor strong, 4 strong, and 5 very strong?

6. How would you evaluate yourself on openness on a 1-5 scale, where 1 means very weak, 2 weak, 3 neither weak nor strong, 4 strong, and 5 very strong?

7. How would you evaluate yourself on knowledge of cultural worldview frameworks on a 1-5 scale, where 1 means very weak, 2 weak, 3 neither weak nor strong, 4 strong, and 5 very strong?

8. How would you evaluate yourself on verbal and non-verbal communication on a 1-5 scale, where 1 means very weak, 2 weak, 3 neither weak nor strong, 4 strong, and 5 very strong?

9. How would you evaluate yourself on cultural self-awareness on a 1-5 scale, where 1 means very weak, 2 weak, 3 neither weak nor strong, 4 strong, and 5 very strong?

10. Cultural differences can also be observed between different generations.

11. There are different cultural identities in the different regions of my country.

12. Culture is:

13. Culture is given from one generation to the other and stays the same.

14. The national culture of my country defines my country and makes it better than others.

15. I believe that nobody tasting my country's cuisine could dislike any of our traditional dishes.

16. Can you explain your personal values to people who are culturally different from you?

17. The term stereotype refers to:

18. I am aware of my own cultural rules and biases and I can easily recognise them.

19. When stereotypes come up during a discussion, what do you usually do?

20. Do you think that all gestures have the same meaning in all countries?

21. Do you think that the number of times people kiss when meeting each other may differ from country to country?

22. I am aware that certain idiomatic expressions in my language may not be understandable in another cultural setting or translatable to another language.

23. Cultural empathy is the ability to empathise with the feelings, thoughts, and behaviours of members of groups with a different cultural background.

24. Do you think that cultural empathy is a prerequisite for effective cultural communication?

25. Do you think that empathy and sympathy are synonyms?

26. What do you think empathic listening means?

27. Communication is crucial in order to foster positive intercultural relations.

28. Do you think that widely recognised hand gestures, like the thumps-up sign of approval or agreement, may have opposite, negative, or even insulting meaning in some countries?

29. I look for opportunities to talk in foreign languages, even though I may make mistakes.

30. While working with a group of foreign students, do you pay attention to body language and gestures?

31. Before, during, or after visiting a foreign country, are you interested in learning about its culture?

32. During a festive event, a group of foreign students encourages you and your colleagues to participate in one of their traditional dances. How would you react?

33. If a foreign student came to your class, how would you react?

34. You have just moved abroad for a two-month internship in an organisation where your mother tongue is the working language. Do you still try to acquire a basic knowledge of the local one?

35. During a friendly discussion, a foreign friend says something that seems insulting to you. How do you react?

36. Cultural openness allows people to navigate without social constraint within and across different cultural groups.

37. A culturally open individual does not assume, but questions.

38. A culturally open individual judges other people.

39. Empathy implies approval.