Accommodative Strategies in Intercultural Interactions on Campus

This study explores the accommodative strategies employed by international students in their intercultural interactions in Gujarat, India. Using a phenomenological design, the data were gathered through in-depth interviews with students from thirteen different countries. Thematic analysis identified themes that highlight both the motivations and strategies for making adjustments. The findings indicate that international students made personal efforts to adjust their communicative behaviors, striving to gain social approval and manage social interactions; thus, they employed approximation and discourse management strategies. The findings also indicate that the approximation strategy could enable these students to acquire the Gujarati or Hindi languages along with other Indian cultural norms. For cognitive motives, they employed interpretability strategies to enhance mutual understanding. The findings suggest that, despite the personal efforts made by these students to foster social interactions and effective communication with their local peers, they still need institutional support. The institution should contribute to fostering an inclusive intercultural communication environment by conducting supportive programs that not only promote intercultural competence but also foster interpersonal relationships with local students, allowing for mutual accommodation.