Refocusing the development of critical intercultural competence in higher education: challenges and opportunities

The incorporation of intercultural competence (IC) in higher education (HE), through the internationalization of the curriculum (IoC) faces challenges associated with policy and programing, levels of support, staff and faculty preparedness, and skill development opportunities for students. The premise is that IC can be better integrated in IoC initiatives by focusing on outcomes instead of outputs, assisting staff and faculty engagement, encouraging multi-perspective contributions, and incorporating a critical approach to IC through self-assessment and enhanced content. Therefore, we first establish a theoretical framework to address difficulties related to IoC, followed by examples of practices and recommendations to enhance IC programing.