Intercultural competence is [the ability] “to see relationships between different cultures – both internal and external to a society – and to mediate, that is interpret each in terms of the other, either for themselves or for other people.” It also encompasses the ability to critically or analytically understand that one’s “own and other cultures’” perspective is culturally determined rather than natural. – Byram, M.

Featuring experts in Intercultural Competence from across the U.S. and internationally, the Intercultural Competence Conference (ICC) is for K-16 educators and students in fields related to Foreign Languages, Social Sciences/Studies and the Humanities, and for others involved in government, NGOs, and the private sector who are interested in seeing and interpreting relationships between cultures. This biennial event brings together researchers and practitioners across languages, levels, and settings to discuss and share research, theory, and best practices, and to foster meaningful professional dialog on issues related to the development and assessment of Intercultural Competence, especially in a foreign or second language. It is hosted by the Center for Educational Resources in Culture, Language and Literacy (CERCLL) at the University of Arizona.

The next ICC conference will take place in Spring, 2026. The theme of this event will be Intercultural Competence in a Rapidly Changing World: Supporting Inclusive and Sustainable Futures. The Call for Proposals will open on January 1, 2025.

To see information and recorded presentations from the prior ICC conferences, view previous conferences in the menu bar above, and ICC playlists on our YouTube channel. (The ICC 2024 videos are not yet available to view.)