Intercultural Skills’ Assessment

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

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

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

4. 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?

5. 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?

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 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?

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 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?

10. Culture is:

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

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

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

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

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

16. Which of the following could describe culture?: A. Learned and dynamic; B. Static and unaffected; C. Shared and integrated; D. Based on symbols and inseparable from language.

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

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

19. A foreign friend of yours is always late for your dates out and every time he/she explains that in his/her country time perception is different. How would you react?

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

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

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

23. How would you define empathy?

24. Empathic communication is a powerful tool to solve interpersonal conflicts and establish deep connections.

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

26. To be able to empathise with someone else’s feelings is more often a strength than a weakness.

27. Do you think that linguistic competences could support you with your communication skills?

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

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

30. 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?

31. During a vacation in Mexico, you come across the parade of the Day of Deads (Dia de los Muertos). For the first time, you witness a different way to remember those who have passed, which replaces mourning with celebrations. How would you react?

32. When you are abroad, are you interested in trying the local food?

33. You have just arrived in a foreign country for a year of studying abroad. A local classmate invites you for dinner to his/her parents' house, where many things (the welcoming, manners, the food, etc.) will be new for you. How do you feel?

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

35. A culturally open individual judges other people.

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

37. How would you react if, during a working experience abroad, you are asked to adapt your schedule, personal and working routine, to local habits?

38. In a working group formed by students with different cultural origins, do you try to impose your working method or do you rather value diversity in finding a common approach?

39. The less culturally empathetic and culturally open an individual is, the less xenophobic that individual may become.