The Main Criteria of Intercultural Competence of University Teachers in the Conditions of Internationalization

This article presents some results of the research within the framework of the project on the topic “Intercultural competence of a university teacher and its impact on improving the competitiveness of higher education in Kazakhstan”. In the context of the internationalization of higher education, the teaching staff of the university is faced with the task of teaching students of various nationalities. A modern university teacher should have not only the skills and competencies of a narrow specialist, but also the ability to communicate in an intercultural educational environment, as well as be able to resolve situations that arise in an intercultural teaching and student environment. In this regard, there is a need for teachers to develop new competencies that ensure the free adaptation of a teacher in a foreign language, foreign cultural environment and the ability to make adequate decisions in an intercultural educational environment. Such competencies are designated in the theory of pedagogy as intercultural competencies. The authors of the article analyzed approaches to determining the intercultural competence of a university teacher, and also identified the main components of the intercultural competence of a teacher. As a result of the analysis of theoretical provisions, the main criteria of intercultural competence and requirements for the training of teaching staff for the university education system are highlighted. Based on the study of modern approaches to the training of teachers of higher educational institutions, the main directions for the introduction of intercultural competence in the training of teachers in Kazakhstani universities have been identified.