Speak up! Closing the cultural gap in education

A systematic review of research on intercultural communication in higher education finds that cultural “power distance”, which is the extent to which people accept unequal authority, continues to shape who speaks, who is heard, and how knowledge is shared in multicultural classrooms.

The review, published in the International Journal of Knowledge and Learning, used a structured method for transparent evidence selection and thematic coding to identify patterns across the relevant literature. In their analysis, the researchers considered three communication pathways: student-to-student, student-to-teacher, and teacher-to-student interactions.

Student-to-student exchanges were found to most consistently support empathy and intercultural learning. However, they did find that language barriers and stereotypes often limited participation. Student-to-teacher communication emerged as the least explored pathway in the literature. It was frequently constrained by hesitation to challenge authority or fear of negative evaluation. Teacher-to-student interaction remained largely shaped by traditional transmissive teaching, where information flows primarily from lecturer to student. However, participatory teaching methods and digital tools were reported to have reduced problems with hierarchy in some contexts.

The researchers suggest that communication inequalities are not simply interpersonal but embedded in institutional structures that regulate participation and legitimacy in academic dialogue. They suggest that a new framework might connect previously fragmented research and allow new insights to be found to guide education and improve learning opportunities in globalised universities.

Menjívar, C.H.H. and Mayorga, C.A.E. (2026) ‘Power distance and intercultural communication in higher education: a three-pathway systematic review’, Int. J. Knowledge and Learning, Vol. 19, No. 5, pp.1–22.

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