New Research Highlights Educators' Needs for Intercultural Competence – Insights from the INTERCOMP Project

A new peer-reviewed article published in Multicultural Perspectives sheds light on how educators and mediators with immigrant and refugee backgrounds perceive the development of intercultural competence in today’s increasingly multicultural classrooms.

The study, titled “Bridging Cultures in Education: Exploring Educators’ and Mediators’ with Immigrant Refugee Background Perceptions of Educational Needs for Intercultural Competence Development”, was conducted within the framework of the INTERCOMP Erasmus+ project, in which ICSSPE is a proud partner.

Through qualitative interviews with 28 participants, the research reveals that while educators and mediators approach the concept of intercultural competence from different perspectives, shaped by their diverse experiences, they share a common vision for how effective intercultural training should be designed and delivered. The findings emphasize the importance of targeted professional development to create inclusive and non-threatening learning environments for all students.

The article was co-authored by an international team of researchers, including Virginia Politi, Angeliki Lithoxoidou, Despoina Ourda, Haralambos Tsormbatzoudis, Antonella Brighi, Allesandro Failo, Alberto Amadori, Pascal Camara from ICSSPE, and other experts in education and intercultural studies.

The full article is available online here: Bridging Cultures in Education: Exploring Educators’ and Mediators’ with Immigrant Refugee Background Perceptions of Educational Needs for Intercultural Competence Development: European Education: Vol 57 , No 2

For more information about the INTERCOMP project visit: https://intercomp.web.auth.gr/