Journal of Education and Health Promotion 2277-9531 9 4 2019 04 01 Interculturality and cultural intelligence in an academic context: A report from university staff interacting with nursing students 1 6 28379 EN . Nematullah Shomoossi . Akbar Ahmadi Asor Department of Occupational Hygiene, School of Health, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences . Mohsen Kooshan Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences . Mostafa Rad Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Iranian Research Center on Healthy Aging, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran 0000-0002-8590-5348 Journal Article 2023 02 23 INTRODUCTION: The cultural diversity of ethnic groups in Iranian academic contexts highlights the<br />importance of enhancing cultural awareness and minimizing cultural conflicts. Therefore, the present<br />study aimed to investigate the intercultural intelligence of the university personnel in interacting with<br />students.<br />MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross‑sectional study was a correlational research conducted<br />on 136 employees in Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The participants were selected<br />by randomized clustered sampling. The data on intercultural intelligence were collected using Earley<br />and Ang’s Questionnaire and were analyzed in SPSS using descriptive and inferential statistics.<br />RESULTS: Mean score of intercultural intelligence in the education‑research staff, secretarial staff,<br />and student‑cultural staff was 41 ± 9, 35.6 ± 8.3, and 44.2 ± 7.7, respectively. ANOVA showed<br />a significant difference in the overall scores of intercultural intelligence across the three groups<br />(P = 0.001); the scores of subsections were also statistically different, the student‑cultural staff showing<br />higher intelligence scores than the other groups. Furthermore, the overall intercultural intelligence<br />scores varied significantly across the participants’ educational levels so that the score of the staff with<br />bachelor’s degree was 37.8 ± 8.7 and those with master’s degree was 45 ± 7.8 (P = 001), especially<br />in their metacognitive and cognitive subsection scores.<br />CONCLUSION: The scores of intercultural intelligence were moderate to low in the staff of different<br />working sections of the university. Moreover, the level of education shows impacts on intercultural<br />encounters in this academic setting. The results highlight the need to develop programs in order to<br />raise intercultural understanding in staff.<br /><br /> https://jehp.mui.ac.ir/article_28379_28b430b807e6a7bd1fb80cc77c9a7361.pdf