ESP and Intercultural Competence: Bridging Higher Education and Professional Practice

Details

Supervisors

De Cock, Sylvie

Faculty

Faculté de philosophie, arts et lettres

Degree label

Master [60] en langues et lettres modernes, orientation germaniques

Abstract

enThis dissertation examines how young graduates working in international environments in Belgium perceive and report their use of English language and intercultural communication skills, how these skills were acquired, and how higher education could better prepare students for these professional realities. The study first addresses these research questions through theoretical discussions of learning types, English language skills and intercultural communication skills, English for Specific Purposes, (Business) English as a Lingua Franca, Global Communicative Competence and the Intercultural Communication Management Framework. It then draws on questionnaire data to analyse graduates’ self-reported perceptions of their workplace practices, educational preparation and learning experiences. The analysis also considers differences across four academic profiles: STEM, Multilingual Communication (MULT), Languages and Other. The findings suggest that English skills are widely used for concrete professional tasks, while intercultural communication skills are perceived as important but less explicitly recognised by graduates. According to respondents, formal education contributes more clearly to English language development than to intercultural competence, whereas informal and experiential learning play a significant role in developing practical adaptability, strategic competence and cultural awareness. Without assessing the actual content of higher education programmes, the dissertation therefore suggests that explicit attention to context-specific, practice-oriented and intercultural dimensions in higher education curricula could help bridge the gap between academic preparation and the communicative realities of international workplace environments.