ABSTRACT
The proliferation of “Western-style,” English medium of instruction (EMI) universities in the Arabian Peninsula has exposed local students to curricula, instructional materials, pedagogical methods, and faculty from numerous international traditions. Such internationalization is especially pertinent in these countries, which contain some of the highest ratios of expatriate-to-locals in the world-leading to significant intercultural demands across social, occupational and educational contexts. Internationalized educational systems seek to produce interculturally adept graduates, though little is currently known about the impacts of foreign EMI programs on Arab students’ intercultural communication competence (ICC). First, we evaluated the scale of internationalized tertiary education in the selected countries, focusing on the scope of existing communication programs-in terms of the degrees and courses offered-which may contribute to these global ambitions. Second, survey data were used to examine the relationship between the affective, behavioral, and cognitive components of ICC and bilingualism, international experiences, and parental level of education.
