Cultural Intelligence and Cross-Cultural Adjustment of Foreign Students in Punjab: A Relationship Study

Abstract

This study aimed at exploring the relationship between cultural intelligence and crosscultural adjustment of foreign students studying in different universities of Punjab. The sample constituted of 120 foreign students with the gender wise break up of 71 male and 49 female students studying in three universities in Punjab namely Lovely Professional University, Phagwara; Punjabi University, Patiala and Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana. These universities cater a significant number of international students. Cultural Intelligence scale for adults was used for measuring foreign student’s cultural intelligence and cross-cultural adjustment test for foreign students was used to measure their adjustment in Punjab. The results of the study revealed a substantial correlation between cultural intelligence and cross-cultural adjustment of foreign students, as well as different components of cultural intelligence and cross cultural adjustment except that of cognitive cultural intelligence and academic cross cultural adjustment. Further it was also revealed that that the male and female foreign students studying in different universities of Punjab do not differ significantly on their cultural intelligence and cross cultural adjustment respectively. However the present study expects a well-coordinated and planned effort on the part of the concerned universities for enhancing the cultural intelligence of the foreign students admitted in their institutions in order to ensure better academic achievement as well as adjustment to the cross cultural situations.