Cultural Intelligence

1. EXPLORING STUDENT LEADERS’ CULTURAL
INTELLIGENCE TOWARDS AUTHENTIC
LEADERSHIP IN HEIs
Asst. Prof. Dr. Faizah Idrus
Kulliyyah of Education
The International Islamic University Malaysia

2. What is Cultural Intelligence (CQ)
• An individual’s capability to function and manage effectively in
culturally diverse setting (Ang & Van Dyne, 2008)
• 4 capabilities:
• Metacognitive
• Cognitive
• Motivational
• Behavioural

3. What is Authentic Leadership?
• A pattern of leader behaviour that draws upon and promotes both
positive psychological capacities and a positive ethical climate, to
foster greater self awareness, an internalised moral perspective,
balanced processing of information, and relational transparency
on the part of leaders working with followers. (Walumba,Aviolo,
Gardner, Wernsing@ Peterson, 2008)

4. Who are student Leaders in HEIs?
• Individuals registered as students at higher education institutions
who hold positions as student leaders and are responsible to
undertake certain responsibilities entrusted upon them through
student election.

5. What is the problem?
• Student ethnic and racial composition in Higher Education Institutions
(Public and Private Institutions), especially in Malaysia have changed
dramatically over the last two decades.
• Since one of Malaysia’s aspirations is to become the hub of education in
the region, more and more International students, froam around the
globe have been accepted to enrol in local universitites. They came with
their own customs, behaviours, languages and beliefs.
• Are student leaders fully equipped to handle students of diverse
cultures?

6. Objectives of the investigation
• To examine SL’s perceptions on diversity and culture of students at
the university
• To identify SL’s perspective on local and international students’
customs and beliefs which may pose challenge to their duties as SL
• To identify the level of CQ SL prone to have which could help them
be effective and authentic leaders

7. Research Questions
• What are SL’s perceptions on diversity and culture of students at
the university?
• What are SL’s perspective on local and international students’
customs and beliefs which may pose challenge to their duties as
SL?
• What are the level of CQ SL prone to have which could help them
be effective and authentic leaders?

8. Methods of Investigation
• Qualitative design employing semi-structured interviews

9. Preliminary Findings
• SLs are not equipped with CQ knowledge and are generally ill
informed about others’ cultures.
• There was no such workshop for SLs on how to negotiate with
students who pose challenges due to cultural and language
barriers

10. What’s next? Implications
• Individual behaviour can be modified as a coping mechanism when
people enter into unfamiliar cultural situations
• It is important for SL to understand other students’ cultural norms,
practices, and structures of knowledge contained within cultural
environments.
• A comprehensive training for SLs is highly demanded to enable
them to acquire basic understanding to be authentic leaders in
HEIs