Intercultural Skills’ Assessment

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

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

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

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 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?

6. 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?

7. 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?

8. 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?

9. 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?

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

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

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

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

14. Culture is:

15. Cultural bias is the tendency of people to judge the outside world through a narrow view based on their own culture.

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

17. The term stereotype refers to:

18. Cultural bias is different from racism in that it targets cultural differences rather than anthropological characteristics like skin color.

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

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

22. It is important to suspend judgments vis-à-vis different values and customs, and to consider multiple meanings.

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

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

25. The more one is positively exposed to people from different cultures, the lower his/her cultural empathy.

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

27. Communication is made to a significant extent of sounds and body language.

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

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

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

31. 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?

32. 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?

33. 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?

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

35. Do you think that an open person is, consequently, a flexible person?

36. Do you define yourself as an open-minded person?

37. 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?

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

39. The meaning of the terms cultural bias and racism is exactly the same.