Cultural Adaptation and Advising Dynamics: Insights from International Engineering Graduate Students

This research study is step one in exploring cultural considerations affecting advising dynamics between advisors and international Ph.D. students in engineering disciplines in the United States. The study draws from the Intercultural Competence Framework as the theoretical lens. It collects data from four international PhD students in engineering at one public institution by employing semi-structured interviews. Further, the results concentrate on the need to identify and inculcate the sensitivity of cross-cultural communication into advising interactions that cultural competency is an essential element of being an advisor. It also brings personal rapport in developing trust to provide such tailor-made advice. Such findings in this study make clear the recommendation that training in intercultural competency be designed for advisors and a balanced personal and professional relationship be adopted between the advisor and student to promote the development of more inclusive and culturally appropriate practices for advising. This opens the door for further research to find ways by which cross-cultural communication among international students can be enhanced and the students helped to adjust to such a multiplicity of academic environments.