Intercultural Education in Engineering Curriculum: A Review of Communication Courses for Undergraduate Students in India

Abstract

Intercultural communication in the Indian Information Technology (IT) industry is an everyday reality. Today, many companies are multinational; and those which are not, are still multicultural owing to huge cultural diversity within the nation. However, despite a harmonious coexistence of multiple cultures, the possibility of conflicts resulting from cultural diversity is palpable. Such conflicts, or likes and dislikes, arising out of cultural stereotypes often impede accurate evaluation of a person's communicative intentions and behaviour. This becomes a potential hazard at the professional as well as the personal front. Given that businesses are no more restricted to geographical boundaries, nor are companies hiring manpower from one location, the need to study and cultivate intercultural communication competence (ICC) becomes fundamental to business success. As part of a research work on ICC in the Indian Information Technology industry, this study analyses communication related courses currently being offered to undergraduate (Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Technology) students of the top ten engineering institutions of India, as identified in the 2017 Rankings by National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, to see if current academic curriculum is adequately educating students for effective intercultural communication at the workplace. Findings suggest that the importance and need of intercultural education has mildly been realized, but its inclusion in current course curriculum is negligible. Limitations of the study and suggestions on how to introduce ICC in class are discussed.