Methodological Approaches to Measuring Intercultural Competence

Abstract

Intercultural competence in terms of scientific cognition is unique due to its versatility, i.e. it combines several separate components such as culture and competence. Despite the fact that different scientific fields present different views on the concept of culture, it is generally understood as an indicator of the individual’s maturity, the realization of his or her creative and spiritual powers as well as the totality of social achievements, valued in all spheres of life. Thus, culture, human general competencies and experience are interlinked. The term intercultural competence is often used in scientific literature to link it with knowledge and understanding of local, national, regional, European and global cultures and their expressions, including language, heritage, traditions and specific cultural products. The importance of intercultural competence is also highlighted in the military field. The Military Strategy of the Republic of Lithuania [1] states that Lithuania, as a member of NATO and the European Union, has a responsibility to also ensure the security and stability of the EuroAtlantic area. That is to say the Lithuanian Armed Forces are required to be ready, together with their allies, to respond to emerging international security challenges. Since 1975 more than 30 scales for the assessment of intercultural competence have been developed, validated and presented in scientific literature.