What is Re-Entry

Social contact, especially intercultural interactions, of international students when studying abroad has recently become a burgeoning research interest. This chapter presents a longitudinal mixed methods study that explores social contact patterns of international students in British higher education during the sojourn and examines the rationale behind such patterns. Findings show that English language proficiency and confidence in English communication skills play major roles in motivating intercultural interactions. However, these alone may not guarantee more pleasant intercultural experiences. Based on these findings, suggestions for researchers and educators in the intercultural communication field are proposed.