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The training of professionals for a global world remains a challenge for Higher Education. From an intercultural educational approach, this study describes and analyses two educational proposals in Italy and Spain, which have helped to develop students' intercultural competences, thanks to a teaching framework based on participatory strategies. A multiple case study with a qualitative approach is elaborated to analyse the data on the situation in order to describe and recognise the relevance of examining participation, collaborative culture and social transformation in two Master's Degrees. Findings show that the synergy between participatory strategies and intercultural competences enhances dialogue and renegotiation of meanings, reconceptualisation of diversity, critical thinking and agency for change. The conclusions point to the need to generate collaborative networks to further mobilise the knowledge generated in training for intercultural professionals.

It becomes clearer every day that the world faces a broad array of global challenges that will likely be solved if people - especially young people - from a wide range of backgrounds holding diverse beliefs and practices, develop the competences to sit with those different from themselves to solve problems - or they will not be solved. An evidence-based practice to help mitigate this challenge in higher education has been the proliferation of Information and Communications (ICT) and e-learning strategies. A virtual exchange program, the Global Learning Experience (GLE), provided an ample opportunity to structure collaborative international learning experiences, and thus foster the development of intercultural competence, amongst graduate level counseling and social work students. Using a qualitative paradigm, the authors examined students' general perceptions about the GLE, how it both benefited students and posed challenges, and, importantly, how it impacted students' development of intercultural competence. We offer implications and recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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