BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 27. The development of intercultural competence in the digital environment must be grounded in the human factor, UNESCO Chair on Intercultural Competence at Stellenbosch University, Darla Deardorff said during a discussion titled "Intercultural digital future: intercultural digital competence for societies entering the era of digitalization and artificial intelligence," held as part of the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku on Tuesday.
Darla Deardorff added that intercultural competence is not limited to knowledge of different languages, living in different countries, or possessing technical skills. It is a skill that people must constantly apply in their daily lives and in their relationships with one another.
According to her, intercultural competence is based on mutual understanding, mutual respect, and a humanistic approach.
"Intercultural competence is not limited to the exchange of knowledge, communication in different languages, living in different countries, or participating in a specific training program. It is connected to who we are, how we conduct ourselves in the world, and how we interact with other people," she said.
Deardorff noted that five key areas of intercultural competence are of particular importance in both digital and face-to-face communication.
"The first aspect is the ability to listen to truly understand the person you’re talking to. Instead of trying to understand the other person’s perspective, people often think about how to respond or how to evaluate what’s been said. Meanwhile, we should focus our attention not on ourselves, but on the person we’re talking to," she emphasized.
According to the expert, the second important aspect is the ability to view things from different perspectives and understand other people’s worldviews.
"The third aspect is the ability to critically evaluate one’s own views and assumptions. Especially in the digital environment, we must ask ourselves: whose perspective is being represented, what knowledge is being overlooked, and whose voice remains unheard. At the same time, we must also reexamine our own biased approaches," Darla Deardorff stated.
She added that the fourth key area is maintaining empathy and a human-centered approach. In her view, even if digital communication takes place through technology and screens, the human factor must always remain the focus.
"The fifth area is the ability to adapt to changing conditions, adjust one’s behavior in relationships, and, in particular, mitigate the negative consequences that arise in the online environment," the expert emphasized.
