"סוף סוף נפגשים איתם": תרומת הלימודים לתואר שני במקצועות החינוך לפיתוחה של מסוגלות בין-תרבותית

Intercultural competence is a long-term change in knowledge levels, feelings, attitudes, and actual behavior that enables positive interactions with members of other cultural groups. The aim of the present study is to examine the impact of encounters with ׳others ׳ on the development of intercultural competence. The study refers to two ethnic groups (Jews and Arabs) of Israeli graduate students from three colleges of education, and education departments in two universities. 436 graduate students in their second and final year completed survey questionnaires. The findings indicate that the encounter experience has a significant impact on the development of inter-cultural competence in the colleges in particular, but in the universities as well, even when controlling for background characteristics, off-campus interactions with ׳others ׳, and positive attitudes towards multiculturalism. The importance of this study is its possible contribution to the body of knowledge regarding encounters with ׳others ׳ in higher education institutions, and to developing trajectories towards intercultural competence among graduate students. The findings of this study might also support formulation of policies in internationalized academic institutions seeking to develop intercultural competence among their staff and students.