Views on Intercultural Communication Competence among Saudi Students Studying

In addition to gathering the views of teachers on ICC, it is of great significance to obtain the views of students, particularly the obstacles they encounter in a culturally diverse country. Previous studies have aimed at gathering the views of Saudi Arabs studying in the United Kingdom, the United States or Australia. One such study by Obaid (2015, p. 695) developed an intervention workshop for 10 Saudi students in the United Kingdom and then conducted semi-structured interviews and questionnaires to determine whether the students regarded ICC as necessary for their studies. Respondents’ concerns included the inability to engage in communication with English-speaking people, the inability to adjust to English culture and doubts about their ability to ensure high academic success (Obaid, 2015, p. 697). Half of the respondents acknowledged that they had limited knowledge of British culture, and 73% mentioned that they had no English

lessons in Saudi Arabia. Also, Saudi students who knew English spoke different versions of the English language. These results demonstrate the importance of endowing students with culturally specific knowledge before sending them to a culturally diverse country. ICC thus is crucial for students to reach their full potential and increase their academic achievements.

Alqahtani (2015, p. i) also used semi-structured interviews to gather data from students in the United Kingdom. The results revealed various experiences and views on the acquisition of ICC, demonstrating that it is wrong to regard Saudi students as a homogeneous group. The findings appear to be in sharp contrast to the assertion of Alsubaie, Valenzuela and Adapa (2015, p. 24), who noted that individualism is practically absent from collectivist societies. In Alqahtani’s (2015, p. ii) research, individualism is evident in the diverse impact of English culture and ICC on Saudi students. For example, some students acknowledged that their views significantly changed during their intercultural experience: some rejected English culture, and others reconciled English cultural values with Arabian cultural values (Alqahtani, 2015, p. ii). Interestingly, despite segregation of female and male students in their society, many found it easy to engage in communication with international students of the opposite gender in the United Kingdom.

Research by Razek and Coyner (2013, p. 110) contradicts the findings of Alqahtani (2015, p. ii). Specifically, Saudi students studying in the United States admitted that they behaved and studied as a group and rarely engaged in individual intercultural communication with American students. A great barrier to their intercultural communication was the students’ lack of knowledge concerning communication norms and social interaction rules (Razek and Coyner, 2013, p. 113). However, some Saudi students expressed great enthusiasm over the high degree of independence that they experienced in the United States (Razek and Coyner, 2013, p. 110). Despite this valuable evidence, the findings cannot be generalised because of the small sample size and geographical limitations. The present research aims to overcome the limitations of this study by conducting the

study in Saudi Arabia rather than in Western societies (thus focusing on international students in Saudi Arabia rather than on Saudi students in international contexts) and by recruiting a larger sample size.

Another longitudinal study conducted by Alalwi (2016, p. 12) investigated whether the cultural perceptions of Saudi students who study in the United States changed over four months and whether they succeeded in developing ICC. Using pre-surveys, surveys and post-surveys, the researcher revealed that students expressed similar stereotypical views of American culture at the beginning and end of their four months at an American university. They were not properly motivated to learn about American cultural values and culture-specific aspects or to engage in intercultural communication. Alalwi (2016, p. 208) explained that students were reluctant to penetrate into American culture because a cultural dimension was not included in the teaching of L2 in Saudi Arabia. This assertion is consistent with Kinginger’s (2011, p. 63) finding that the cultural dimension is not widely integrated into L2 teaching because of the prevalent view that penetration into other people’s culture significantly changes students’ cultures. Yet, Alalwi’s (2016, p. 208) study shows that students who go abroad to learn a language do not necessarily delve into host culture. More important, the researcher failed to draw parallels between the level of L2 acquisition and development of ICC (Alalwi, 2016, p. 12). Unfortunately, the present research also did not draw any such parallels, because this was beyond the scope of this longitudinal study. The researcher included a variety of contextual factors (in addition to demographic characteristics and personality traits) as possible influencers of international students’ ICC. Assessment of L2 acquisition was not deemed most important. Still, it should be noted that the results presented here are inconsistent with that of Alalwi (2016, p. 12): no correlation between intercultural communication and L2 learning was found. This finding also helps justify why the present research did not assess students’ L2 acquisition.

Another relevant study by Caldwell (2013, p. ii) assessed cultural interactions of Saudi students in the United States. The results showed that despite students’ general satisfaction with studying abroad, they found it difficult to interact and adjust to a culturally diverse environment. They experienced discrimination, homesickness, problems with English language and trouble making friends with American students. They also wanted more assistance in cultural adjustment and intercultural communication from their American universities (Caldwell, 2013, p. ii). The present research addresses these issues by investigating the degree to which Umm Al Qura University assists international students in their ICC development (e.g. orientation programmes, cultural advisors).

The research by Davis (2014, p. vii) further demonstrated that Saudi female students studying in American universities and colleges succeeded in developing ICC and in adjusting to a culturally diverse environment. Gathering the views of 25 Saudi female students through interviews and online surveys, Davis (2014, p. vii) revealed that the first months were challenging for these students. As they attempted to engage in intercultural communication, they experienced discrimination and acculturative stress. However, the higher their proficiency in the English language, the better their intercultural communication. The participants admitted that their persistent effort to communicate with host nationals and improve their English language skills aided their ICC, which was crucial for their personal growth and confidence (Davis, 2014, p. vii). The researcher also gathered the views of Saudi female students who arrived in the United States for their studies after 2005 (Davis, 2014, p. 3). The results align with those of Shaw (2009, p. 218), who interviewed seven Saudi females and eighteen Saudi males studying in the United States and found that their communication strategies and competencies had to be adjusted to a different cultural context. Despite initial difficulties with the English language and cultural adjustment, the Saudi students successfully adjusted their communication strategies, primarily due to increased contact with locals, which increased their ICC and resilience (Shaw, 2009, p. 218).

According to research by Alhazmi and Nyland (2013, p. 356), the move from a gender-segregated environment to a mixed-gender environment is particularly difficult for Saudi students. Interviewing two Saudi students (a male and female) studying in Australia, Alhazmi and Nyland (2013, p. 356) found that a mixed-gender environment was confusing for the male student and complex for the female student. Although the researcher focused on the experiences of only two Saudi students, the value of this pilot study is the comparison of views and perceptions between a male and female student and the identified positive impact of intercultural communication on the identities of these students. The female student acknowledged that ICC reinforced her confidence in relationships with men and her independence; the male student noted that intercultural communication facilitated his maturation and improved his relationships with women (Alhazmi, 2012, p. 8). The results highlight how development of ICC is both a challenging and important experience for Saudi students. This notion and the finding that ICC was perceived as important by these students are important for the present study, because they justify why this research focused on ICC.

In summary, the research investigating ICC development of Saudi students who study abroad has shown mixed results. Some studies found that these students adjust well to an international context and develop ICC. Others discovered challenges in reaching such goals. Importantly, however, exploring the experiences of international students in Saudi Arabia is under-researched. The present study aims to address this gap in the literature. Also, this research drew from related studies that assessed the impact of attending an orientation programme and conducted a cross- cultural research project on students’ ICC development. These studies showed that international students need assistance from their universities to increase their ICC (Caldwell, 2013, p. ii).