The Future of Education

In today’s world, the term interculturality is increasingly used across various segments of life, from education to the professional environment. Modern society continuously witnesses interactions among people from different cultures, nationalities, faiths, and races, resulting in a growing need for strengthening intercultural competencies. Intercultural competencies are crucial in the educational system, where their application can significantly contribute to the development of multiperspectivity, empathy, and cognitive flexibility among pupils and students. Given that most students of social sciences will spend their professional careers in educational institutions, this paper aims to examine how well students of social sciences faculties at the University of Osijek are acquainted with the concept of intercultural competencies, how they value them, and in which ways they would apply them in their future professions.

The research was conducted using a survey method on a sample of 89 students. The results indicate that most students recognize intercultural competencies as highly important for their future professional work, but they assess their own preparedness for their application as moderate. It was observed that a significant number of respondents have not had the opportunity to apply intercultural competencies practically during their studies. At the same time, most believe the representation of such content in curricula is insufficient. The findings confirm theoretical theses regarding the necessity of systematically integrating intercultural content into educational programs and point to the need for a strategic approach involving formal education, experiential learning, and international cooperation.

Keywords: intercultural competencies, quantitative analysis, curricula, educational system, social science students, University of Osijek

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