The Relationship Between the Use of Social Media and Cross-Cultural Competency Among International Students in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study investigates the role of social media in helping international students in Saudi Arabia develop cross-cultural competency. “International students” is a term that has vastly been perceived to describe students who study in the USA, Canada, and Europe. However, Saudi Arabia—one of the biggest Middle Eastern Countries—has successfully attracted over 50 thousand international students who represent 159 countries around the world to come and study in Saudi Arabia. This influx of students represents different cultural backgrounds. The study uses a survey that snowballed into potential participants, all of whom are international students in Saudi Arabia. A total number of 134 participants successfully completed the survey (of whom 121 are males). The study found that 113 participants gained cross-cultural competency, conditioning that they own social media accounts, spend some time daily on social media, and interact with global content. The study concludes that more research is needed on the population of international students in Saudi Arabia as this population deserves more research-focused attention.