Empowering collaboration through immersive technologies: fostering intercultural competencies

Abstract

Intercultural collaboration promotes diversity as a strength and builds more effective, creative, and understanding teams in a globalized world. This study explores and evaluates university students' perceptions of their intercultural competencies and acceptance of emerging technology tools, specifically Metaverse, for virtual collaboration with people from other cultures. This research employs qualitative research methodology, specifically a case study design. The sample consisted of 55 interdisciplinary undergraduate students, and data were collected through surveys and focus group discussions. The analysis focused on three main components: intercultural collaboration, international experience, and metaverse. The results highlighted that (a) most students know how to deal respectfully with different intercultural perspectives, (b) students do not always feel motivated to interact with other students from different cultural backgrounds, but they are aware that they can learn a lot from each other, (c) students who have had an international experience are more willing to involve people from different backgrounds in collaborative assignments, and (d) students think that it would be interesting and enriching to collaborate with students from other countries in the Metaverse. This study aims to be of value to academic and research communities, and to those interested in education, internationalization, and educational innovation.