Discussion on International Internship and Intercultural Competence from a Perspective of Higher Educational Internationalization -- A Case Study of the Program Work and Travel USA

Abstract

With the advent of globalization, the higher education in China is facing a hot topic that it is how to educate students with international views. The paper aims to discuss a new way to educate students with intercultural competence through international internship. Therefore, the paper firstly introduces the developmental history of international internship including the program Work and Travel USA as an important educational program of the internationalized education and multicultural education in the United States, explicates the basic definitions of intercultural competence and international internship, and relationship between international internship and intercultural competence. Finally, the author sums up the important functions of the program Work and Travel USA are of benefit to the students’ intercultural communicative skills, intercultural working experiences and intercultural understanding, so as to enhance students’ intercultural competence and cultivate students with international views. And then, the international internship will be an effective measure to educate internationalized talents in China.

Key words: Higher education; Internationalization; Internship; Intercultural competence