Informal learning experiences of Turkish sojourners in Europe: An exploration of their intercultural competence within the Erasmus student exchange scheme

This article analyses the intercultural competence of students from Turkey who participated in the EuRopean Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students (Erasmus). Intercultural competence is an important aspect of 21st-century skills and lifelong learning. The study presented here also considered antecedent factors such as participants’ cultural capital and home–host domains as well as identity-related issues. It aimed to understand the dynamics of relating to the new destination/culture: awareness of one’s own culture/society/surroundings; availability of social networks and support; approach to learning (language, practical matters, relevant cultural information, etc.), and communication. The researchers’ findings demonstrate constructive change in terms of learning, communication-connection, self-management and cultural awareness. They confirm the importance of various layers of friendship networks (but not necessarily ethnic ties), as well as a balanced composition of home and host domain resources. Regarding identity issues, students were observed to cling to universal identities, such as being an international/exchange student, and/or strategic personal ones, rather than religious, ethnic and national identities. The sojourn period can be defined as an academic but more notably a sociocultural engagement towards becoming more conversant in daily routines and personal gains in a transnational space. This highlights the importance of informal educational experiences.