A comparative case study of intercultural communicative competence, l2 motivation and l2 anxiety among erasmus+ mobility students and at-home students

In today's globalized world, students increasingly engage in cross-border educational experiences, making intercultural communicative competence (ICC) a critical component of contemporary higher education. The Erasmus+ student exchange program, established by the European Union, enables students to study abroad in culturally diverse contexts, fostering exposure to linguistic and cultural variation. Second language acquisition goes beyond mastering linguistic skills and requires sensitivity to the sociocultural dimensions of language use. For students participating in Erasmus+, direct engagement with individuals from different cultural backgrounds provides a unique context to enhance ICC, strengthen motivation to learn language, and possibly mitigate language learning anxiety. This doctoral study aims to investigate whether participation in the Erasmus+ program results in significant differences in ICC, motivation for learning English, and English language anxiety among university students. It further examines the influence of demographic factors such as age, gender, and academic department on these constructs. Employing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the research integrates quantitative analysis (e.g., Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis) and qualitative interviews to present a comprehensive understanding of the Erasmus+ impact. Data were collected from a diverse sample of approximately 325 students from departments such as English Language and Literature, English Language Teaching, Translation and Interpreting, English Linguistics, and American Culture and Literature across multiple universities in Türkiye. The study offers both empirical insights and pedagogical implications for internationalization in higher education.