| Abstract: | This study aimed to analyze the system of intercultural communication among
university students. Specifically, it examined the extent of cultural differences that
determine the students’ intercultural communication, explored factors (internal and
external) affecting effective intercultural communication, and evaluated
intercultural communication sensitivity level of university students and the
contribution of education and intercultural experience to create conducive campus
environment. The Federal Government of Ethiopia has been investing large sum of
money for the expansion and establishment of public universities. In the last five
years, the number of higher public institutions has increased by twelve, which
enables the country to have a total of twenty-three public universities and this, in
turn, increased the capacity of students’ enrolment in universities as well. This
effort shows that the Ethiopian Government gives much attention to the higher
education centers. This mere expansion of education doesn’t guarantee its
contribution to national scenario unless we educate students to manage conflicting
situations among themselves. Universities are ideal centers that mirror the
existence of diversified people from different ethno-linguistics, socio-economic and
religious backgrounds. Nonetheless, nowadays, it is common to see universitybased
conflicts among students of different ethnic, religious, and socio-political
backgrounds. The research tried to answer the following questions: Do students
recognize cultural differences during their interaction with students from different
cultural backgrounds? If so, how do they act? What are the roles of in-campus and
out-campus experiences influencing the students’ intercultural communication?
How do university leadership and staff manage cultural diversity? In the study,
research methods and/or techniques such as observation, structured and
unstructured interviews as well as FGDs were used to collect relevant data using
checklist, structured questionnaire, and interview guide were employed as research
instruments to collect primary data from different sources |
