Advancing Intercultural Competence in Higher Education: Strategies for Engaging Generation Z

Abstract

This study examines how Japanese Generation Z, “digital natives” currently in higher education, engage in cross-cultural learning and develop global skills. In the modern digital era, encountering and studying international topics, cultures, and languages is no longer limited to the traditional physical movement of people to acquire new experiences. We seek to investigate a modernized educational model for intercultural exchange, learning, and internationalization that emphasizes the technological information, platforms, and tools that the digital native generation uses daily. We use survey data from 123 Japanese higher-education students to investigate this subject and help reveal how they can operate and learn global skills in an increasingly digital landscape. Our findings indicate a strong desire to gain intercultural competence through digital sources, remote communications, and interactions with inbound international students. Digital information provides a significant opportunity for students to gain foundational international knowledge and competencies without the level of investment and limited accessibility of traditional study-abroad programs. We consider the pros and cons of integrating digital information into future academic endeavors.

1. Introduction

Today, many societies and economies have become highly integrated into a globalized knowledge-based society, where massive amounts of information are rapidly being created and distributed. As a result, we have entered an era where the constant flow of information from many sources strongly influences our daily lives. This research focuses on the “digital native generation”, individuals who have grown up in the modern digital age and are now in higher education. Today’s young digital natives use many means of cross-cultural learning, such as online courses, virtual exchange programs, and various information-gathering tools like search engines and social media. In particular, digitalization has transformed the current era into one in which younger generations come into direct or indirect contact with different cultures through the various forms of media they use daily. This situation calls for a redefinition of intercultural learning, exchange, and learning from new perspectives, challenging us to reconsider our current understandings and practices.

Against this backdrop, we propose redefining the concept of information migration to extend beyond traditional physical migration and include new forms of migration brought about by information. Recently, virtual exposure to other cultures has become more pervasive and accessible than the conventional methods of acquiring new experiences, such as physically traveling abroad or interacting with inbound foreigners. Before the current information era, in-depth globalization was generally restricted to affluent groups with the social and economic capital to support such travel or educational elites who institutions could sponsor via scholarships. We should consider the trends in information consumption and where they will take us into the near and long-term future. As the accessibility of digital technologies and information continues to accelerate and the digital medium continues to transform, this will likely be accompanied by a shift from physical to virtual presences. We can already see this phenomenon in the transition to online learning and remote work during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this accelerating information society, the need for new educational models is a pressing challenge that we must address. How should the information society and the accelerating progress of information technology affect the higher-education pipeline? How should the higher-education providers and students utilize these information tools to gather more diverse information, values, and perspectives, and what further teaching models might be required? The rapid pace of digital information growth in our learning settings requires urgent attention to ensure that we adequately prepare our students for the future. In response, it becomes increasingly important to present an educational model emphasizing information for the digital native generation. This model should underscore the role of higher education in integrating global and digital skills that will be crucial in the future. It will be one of the new missions of higher education to provide a curriculum that equips learners with intercultural exchange and intercultural skills, mainly through digital technology, and to provide them with the skills necessary to acquire information through digital tools.

Many studies look at digital learning in higher education, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic brought remote learning to the mainstream. However, most approach this topic from a more generalized institutional policy perspective. More recent scholarship in the post-COVID-19 era, such as Matsieli and Mutula (2024), notes the many benefits of integrating digital tools in higher education, including greater access, equity, and flexibility in learning, better student engagement, and self-driven learning outside the classroom. However, they also note that the digital divide is not only generational, but we must also not leave behind students who do not have access to new technologies or the technological know-how to keep up in digital classrooms. Buckner et al. (2022) provide a broad overview of the recent literature on internationalization in the post-COVID-19 era. They note many research studies evidencing the substantial shift away from in-person internationalization and the growing adoption of internationalization via digitalization and online platforms, which show many benefits for access and student engagement.

There are fewer studies that consider the specific intersection of current digital technologies and internationalization efforts. This research study aims to understand how students, in particular, perceive and view this intersection more specifically. Similar recent studies could include that by Kor et al. (2022), which gathered student feedback on the Internationalization At Home (IAH) exchange program between Hong Kong and Indonesia for medical students. Positive student feedback evidenced that students could successfully gain cultural awareness and sensitivity and practice language skills via remote international exchange with positive results. Papademetriou et al. (2022) align with this research, their study highlighting the benefits of social media usage as an educational tool. However, even similar studies generally propose different means of internationalization, and diverse purposes drive those efforts. For instance, there are various formats for international efforts, such as IAH and Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), and different levels of digital integration, such as teacher–student communications, online learning platforms, social media, digital media, etc. Thus, many studies share aspects of similar topics and findings, but we have not found any that can be considered comparable one-to-one with this study.

The research questions for this paper are: First, how do current Japanese university students use digital information when they have abundant sources such as written literature, textbooks, online databases, open access journals, news and popular media, and social media? Second, how do students perceive the use and role of digital information in higher-education modernization and reform? Third, how do students think higher education should pursue internationalization efforts? In particular, we sought information regarding the applicability of digital information for developing intercultural and global competencies. Faculty members must consider how they can tailor teaching methods for the generation highly exposed to social media and other non-traditional forms of open and accessible online information and how students can benefit from these sources. Furthermore, we need to examine how to develop student’s media literacy skills and leverage these new information sources to create cross-cultural and intercultural learning opportunities. This paper examines how Japanese students use and view technology and information platforms, which will inform the need for alternative teaching models in the context of cross-cultural studies. This analysis relies on survey data from 123 Japanese university students at two universities in the Tokyo Metropolitan area. By reimagining how to introduce digital technologies and information skills, we aim to promote new patterns for learning intercultural and global education, challenging the status quo and inspiring a more dynamic discourse.

2. Digital Natives

A primary reason for adopting new educational strategies is that today’s students have a vastly different relationship with technology than previous generations. Today’s cohort of higher-education students, most of whom were born between 1997 and 2012, are categorized as “Generation Z” (Dolot, 2018) in many English-speaking countries. They also fall under the category of “digital natives”, which describes the younger generation’s lifelong access to and active usage of modern ICT technologies (Prensky, 2001). In contrast to digital natives, Prensky (2001) refers to the older generation as “digital immigrants” because they did not grow up in an environment where they were naturally fluent in ICT technology and did not naturally acquire digital-related skills as the digital native generation did. One important distinction is that this younger generation has been exposed to various information tools, such as the Internet, connected technology, social networking services (SNS), and social media their entire lives, and these platforms play integral roles in their lifestyles. Today’s digital-native-generation students live in a society where digital technology plays a decisive role, transcending national boundaries, which makes them unique and significant, especially in this research.

Prensky (2001) posited that digital natives have different patterns of consuming and processing information, utilizing multiple sources simultaneously, and expecting instant gratification at every step. He states that these habits develop from exposure to the Internet, cell phones, instant messaging, computer games, and other modern forms of media and entertainment. He hypothesized that young people who grow up with technology think and process information differently from previous generations. Thus, he felt an imminent digital divide between digital native students and digital immigrant faculty would become a critical educational challenge. Since 2001, when Prensky made these observations, ICT technology has developed and changed tremendously with the proliferation of digital devices. For example, the emergence of digital technologies such as online video streaming and SNS have had a synergistic growth with pervasive access to high-speed Internet and cellular networks and the advancement of mobile phones and devices. Understanding and empathizing with the challenges faced by digital natives is crucial to promoting a more inclusive educational environment and bridging any educational gap caused by technology.

College students of the digital native generation are characterized as having thinking patterns that prioritize images, sensationalism, and personal life-centeredness, among other things, and are considered to have a high ability to use digital technology in their academic studies (Murayama et al., 2014). Other studies, like Microsoft’s (2015) consumer insights research, supported these hypotheses, finding that heavier usage of digital consumption, social media, and tech savviness decreased long-term focus. However, heavy social media users were more efficient at short-duration, high-intensity information processing. Their research parameters found, “The ability to remain focused on a single task is most correlated: 1. Volume of media consumption, 2. Social media usage, 3. Multi-screening behavior, 4. Adoption of technology” (p. 17), while also verifying that age and gender were not significant factors in comparison. However, it is worth noting that more moderate studies like Thompson (2015) push back against sweeping narratives that generalize digital natives as a homogenous group or see them as consumers passively affected by technology. Thompson found that while digital natives might agree with many of these claims, they are also actively aware of and managing their relationship with technology and how it affects their studies. For example, technology may increase distractions and the expectation of instant gratification. Still, these users can also take a break from technology usage when it is expedient. We must also note that Prensky warned of the imminent digital divide in education 23 years ago. Since that time, higher education has still not significantly been affected or adapted to this concern. Nonetheless, educators should still strive to improve pedagogy and ensure that the skills and knowledge taught are practical in the modern context.

3. Mobile Workforces Driven by Technology

A second powerful motivation for educational change is that society has changed over time. The social norms and expectations for communicating and remote and virtual interactions have recently abruptly shifted toward greater acceptance. In 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic affected all countries across the world. This complex situation, which no one had anticipated, temporarily restricted movement across national borders, making face-to-face interaction and travel within and outside countries extremely difficult. However, this unprecedented situation also accelerated the integration and normalization of digital technologies, with remote work, online conferencing, and, in higher education, online classes becoming more common. During the COVID-19 lockdowns that allowed for stay-at-home and work-from-home frameworks, remote work culture became acceptable and adopted in a mainstream manner for the first time in many workplaces. Still, today, specific industries permit and allow employees to work from home fully or part-time and have faced resistance to returning to full-time in-person work. For example, in Japan, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (2024) published that only 14.8% of workers teleworked in 2019, but it shot up to 27% in 2021 and declined to 24.8% in post-pandemic 2023. Yet, among those workers, the percentage who do so 1–4 days a week is increasing, showing a continued shift toward hybrid work styles. Though this shift to a new workstyle has declined along with the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic, the short-term data show that it is not returning to anywhere near pre-pandemic levels.

Now, physical movements are sometimes interchangeable with virtual presences and experience, thus no longer limited by social class, cultural, social, or economic capital. Among working-age adults, there are more opportunities for mobile and nomadic lifestyles assisted by technology, which can be labeled “digital nomadism”. The emphasis on a more accessible, more flexible work style and careers that are not tied to a single permanent physical location reflect a new lifestyle pattern of the digital native generation. Matsushita (2023) argues that in a post-COVID society, digital nomads skilled in digital technology who work beyond geographical constraints, enjoy travel, and have the freedom of mobile lifestyles will spread. This new phenomenon is spreading due to the growing number of non-traditional lifestyles enabled through digital information tools. Prester et al. (2019) found that opposing forces largely drive the identities of modern digital nomad workers: their desire for inspiration, freedom, and autonomy in their workplaces and schedules versus the stability found in traditional work settings. These digital nomads rely heavily on modern IT, digital information, and communication to enable their work styles.

One of the key characteristics of the digital age is sharing and viewing content with people from all over the world through digital platforms. This phenomenon has made it possible to create new international exchanges, interests, and substantive interactions with places and regions individuals would not have had the opportunity to know before (Matsushita, 2023). This transformative power of digital tools is a characteristic of the information society, where information is accessible to anyone with a stable Internet connection, regardless of capital disparities. These opportunities are largely shared worldwide, except in areas where Internet activity is intentionally restricted or blocked for social or political reasons or areas lacking necessary economic infrastructure. Digital tools have helped make cross-cultural and international connections more accessible and convenient. As workplaces become more flexible via digital technologies, we must also consider how university education should not remain stagnant and fixated on traditional pedagogy, goals, and student outcomes. Education systems should ideally prepare students for these future conditions that await them in the workplace and their adult lives beyond.

Moreover, what are the exciting possibilities for new international exchange and intercultural learning while utilizing digital tools that continue to develop in terms of usefulness and mainstream adoption? The potential for intercultural learning while using digital tools should be highlighted to inspire the audience about the positive outcomes of digital tools. The impact of COVID-19 on education should underline the urgency for adapting traditional methods to capture the benefits of digital tools. The Internet environment surrounding the digital native generation, both in Japan and abroad, and the information they obtain from the Internet significantly impact their lives.

4. Digital Cross-Cultural and Intercultural Learning Opportunities

Learning about different cultures was traditionally imparted as specialized knowledge in higher education (universities, vocational schools, etc.). This pattern included learning about other international cultures, languages, history, and international issues, which faculty members specializing in the respective cross-cultural fields systematized as an academic system. In the past, migration was often associated with physical movement, i.e., the actual movement of people or the movement of migrants and immigrants to other countries to live and study abroad. The process of moving also involved the necessary intercultural preparation in the process of direct engagement, such as systematic learning through interactions, experiences, and academic systems. At the same time, going beyond the university learning environment, preparing for and physically visiting other countries through short- and long-term study abroad has been considered a necessary process for developing intercultural adaptation, intercultural skills, and global competency development. These have been the traditional methods of intercultural learning inside and outside the classroom.

Yet, recently, the number of Japanese students traveling abroad has been declining, and the younger generations have been characterized as “inward-looking”. According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS, 2024) estimates, Japan had a tertiary-education outbound mobility rate of 0.8% in 2022, compared to 1.43% in 1998. The Japan Association of Overseas Studies (JAOS, 2024) survey covering secondary students, tertiary students, and other adult learners reported that 64,421 Japanese studied abroad in 2023, in contrast to the Japanese cabinet’s stated goal of 500,000 by 2033. This low participation rate reflects several significant challenges and burdens associated with studying abroad, including financial costs, time invested in preparations, and consideration for education and career timeline planning (Porter & Porter, 2020). Thus, we must consider whether or not traditional methods alone can suffice to solve this problem. The continued refinement of education necessitates reexamining the goals and objectives, engaging a more comprehensive range of people in learning about different cultures and methods of learning related to various cultures.

While many traditional concepts on mobility, migration, and movement were primarily associated with physical presence, today’s information society has changed dramatically, broadening these concepts and providing different lenses and applications for digital native generations. The digital native generation has new possibilities for discovering their potential and cultural identity in the modern ICT environment, which presents new opportunities worth exploring. The evolution of digital tools has the potential to significantly enhance intercultural learning, making it more accessible and engaging for a broader range of people. Increasing the number of people who can experience and learn about other cultures is another important factor supporting the need for change. Today’s digital technology has the potential to democratize cross-cultural learning. It allows people from diverse backgrounds, regardless of social class, age, or regional differences, to easily access information wherever a network environment is available. This inclusivity of digital access breaks down financial and labor barriers associated with physical travel, fostering a profound sense of belonging and global community in cross-cultural learning. It makes everyone feel included and part of a worldwide community. Given these changes, contemporary higher education must adapt and prepare students with intercultural skills and knowledge, including international perspectives. It is essential to reconsider and think about how migration and movement will change more in the future and how these drastic differences can reshape our knowledge of mobility.

The demand for and accessibility of digital technology, combined with the potential for remote international and cross-cultural experiences and learning differences, distinguish this generation from previous ones. In many cases, the digital native generation has a sense of familiarity with other cultures, albeit through digital media, and they perceive different cultures as being closer to them than past generations. This is a significant change from the traditional standard in which the development of global competencies was biased toward a limited group of people, such as those who traveled to foreign countries, studied abroad, interacted with different cultures, or experienced first-hand overseas experiences that were previously highly restricted to obtain. With convenient access to cross-cultural information through digital tool media and more content availability, the digital native generation will have more perspectives and options in the future to explore the wider world, such as where they want to go and what they need to learn to fulfill their ambitions.

5. Mainstream Adoption of Digital Technologies

Another consideration for a generational shift in education is the recent effects of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, affecting people’s daily lives for years. During the pandemic, domestic and international travel was subject to stringent restrictions, affecting travel in general and many aspects of academic-related travel, including study-abroad programs, internships, working holidays, language study, participation in conferences, and face-to-face formal exchanges. These changes effectively temporarily shut down travel and face-to-face interactions at the end of 2019, leading to ubiquitous online learning that rapidly took hold in the education sector. For example, higher education switched from traditional face-to-face to online learning during this period. According to the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT, 2020), 90.3% of surveyed tertiary institutions in Japan used distance or hybrid learning in June 2020. Additionally, (MEXT, 2020) reported that government restrictions prevented almost all international students from entering Japan, and some could not return to their home countries during this period. So what changes did this period bring about, and what changes have we begun to see in transforming lifestyles and values and in the actual learning aspect of education?

While COVID-19 era restrictions limited direct international interactions, the digital native generation found alternative outlets using digital tools such as social networking services, online media, and news content. Young digital natives have always had an inseparable and deep connection with social media and SNS, which also play a substantial role in their daily lives. Such technological innovations emerged to compensate for the challenges we faced during this situation, and they continue to bring about change even after the pandemic has ended. This was possible because this period coincided with the advances in information-related technologies and digital tools. These tools have played a significant role in deepening connections and solidarity and reassured us of the continuity of cross-cultural communication (Yamada & Trelfa, 2023). In other words, when the pandemic forced people worldwide to rely on digital technology, the digital native generation took the initiative to utilize digital technology when they could no longer physically travel and interact with people in person.

The digital native generation gained prominence and experienced a period where the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily forced them to use digital tools and cut them off from contact with the rest of the world (Rodríguez-Moreno et al., 2021). We believe that this experience may have fostered a reactionary “outward-looking mindset”, and the role of digital tools in this process is enlightening and informative (Yamada, 2024; Yamada & Trelfa, 2023) and is a significant development, highlighting the potential of technology to shape our worldview. It also opens up a hopeful future where the digital native generation will have more perspectives and options to explore the wider world, thereby enhancing global exploration. The outward-looking mindset of today’s digital native students, who frequently view domestic and international digital content, closely relates to the global nomadic mindset. In this sense, they are not bound to a single physical location, which has been the subject of much discussion in recent years. Understanding what digital tools we can use to cultivate this tendency is crucial, as it will clarify new patterns of international mobility among the youth in the digital age. This understanding is the focus of our research on the relevance of international study and digital tools among Japanese university students in the research surveys, which we will cover later.

6. The Role and Challenges of Higher Education

We have argued that direct or physical connections form the basis for the old concept of “mobility”. In contrast, indirect contact and connections through digital tools have brought new values and connotations. We have also explained how the post-COVID pandemic will further spur the digital age as the “new normal” becomes newly entrenched. As mentioned earlier, what had been a face-to-face learning experience was forced to change to a drastically different remote learning style. We must note that higher education is now returning to traditional face-to-face education methods. Not just education but the workforce and society at large have significantly transitioned back to conventional forms of communication and mobility. Still, new educational methods introduced during the pandemic, namely “new intercultural learning methods”, such as collaborative projects between students from different countries, with a more proactive introduction of information and digital tools like virtual reality and online collaboration platforms, are also taking root. The value of contemporary digitally enhanced internationalization efforts has been documented in many studies such as Hamada and Iwasaki (2024), Kor et al. (2022), Sercu (2022), Papademetriou et al. (2022), and so forth. This shift opens up exciting possibilities for the future of education, with online learning showing potential for growth in the environment, means, methods, effectiveness, and quality of learning.

Therefore, the challenge for educators working in higher-education institutions is to structure their curricula to consider the characteristics of the digital native generation and the current digital society. For students who have grown up and studied in a digital environment, an affinity for online learning and new technologies comes more naturally than previous generations. Therefore, higher-education institutions must also focus on the challenges of exposure to digital information. In other words, they need to impart and teach about the authenticity of online information and the literacy and reading comprehension skills necessary when interacting with online information. In the digital age, where content creators constantly produce and distribute vast amounts of information, from mainstream media to individuals sharing their opinions on new social media platforms, the necessity of media literacy skills is more urgent than ever. Educators must equip students with the skills to determine which information is important and trustworthy.

Another notable phenomenon is the simultaneous, instantaneous, and widespread access to local and global information sources that has become possible with online learning and the advent of the digital age. We must view this change in a different light from the internationalization that has developed in the past and the development of global competencies that we have previously expected. Traditionally, internationalization has focused on study-abroad programs tied to students’ social, cultural, and economic capital. In the digital age, however, students can experience the world digitally or virtually without physically traveling or living abroad. The availability of information, or the digital information divide, may be a determining factor in the progress of internationalization. These factors will require higher education to adapt to changes in the learning environment and the skills needed by today’s students and to develop curricula and practices based on the relevance of such digital information and learning environment.

Underlining the significance of this task, we discuss the challenges in maximizing the educational potential of digital information. It is necessary to enhance the skills of all faculty members, including those not part of the digital native generation, using the modern technologies and platforms that the digital native generation of students are adept at (Singun, 2025). Introducing Internet-based information sources in academic settings is complex, as they require more rigor, sources, and provenance than traditional academic information sources. Investigating these realities and accumulating facts is crucial, as it will guide us in identifying the strengths and limitations of modern digital technology in higher education. This understanding will help us determine the features that should be utilized and scrutinize the newly established educational methods that should be maintained and preserved as the original foundation and essence of education and learning.

We have already mentioned the correlation between digital natives and global nomads. However, to begin with, a geographically mobile workforce is an essential element of the current global geopolitical and economic order. The characteristics of states in this order require citizens willing to stay abroad for long periods and people from other states outside their borders who are willing and able to stay for long periods as migrant workers or immigrants. Governments will expend significant resources to develop programs that encourage and support such migration while maintaining some control over their borders. From a historical perspective, during the period of colonization, before digital technology took hold as we know it today, the so-called “powers” forced the introduction of their languages, customs, values, laws, and political administrations into the colonial territories, sometimes through the imposition of genocide. History bears witness to the brutal enforcement of global migration and the destruction of local cultures (Tanaka, 2007). In contrast, under the neoliberal world order of the late 20th century, voluntary global migration was perceived as essential and familiar to the functioning of international society (Tanaka, 2007).

As we enter the 21st century, social media, which has become an overwhelming force and power in today’s society, has transformed into an indispensable tool for connecting students’ academic studies with their goals and aspirations for self-fulfillment in the real world (Nur et al., 2023). Studies like Ansari and Khan (2020) found that learning while utilizing social media led to better peer interactions and student engagement, resulting in better academic performance. Particularly in the context of higher education, “international education” has traditionally been promoted through programs and activities that encourage students to study abroad and learn foreign languages and cultures, and this has been accomplished by actually physically interacting face-to-face with international students and giving them opportunities to learn about cross-cultural differences (Altbach, 2013; Ota, 2018). However, as the entire society, including work and education, switched to online during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a process in which online exchange tools were used more frequently as a new framework and became a means of learning that transcended the old boundaries of exchange. Moreover, the methods that have taken root in this unexpected situation have never disappeared, and their utilization is expanding if we look at the world as a whole. Face-to-face actions and experiences, which were the norm in the old cross-cultural studies, are now being used in a way that differs from the actual physical experience and online information, in a sense, has permeated the study of cross-cultural relations. In both local and global contexts, cross-cultural experiences and experiences beyond one’s comfort zone and common sense are now possible with or without physical mobility, and changes in how virtual experiences are conducted are expected to become more common. Higher education will be required to deal with the learning methods of such a generation.

Activities and programs that required physical mobility were traditionally the domain of traditional higher-education institutions. However, the rise of online learning and the proliferation of online streaming services is not just a local or regional shift but a global one, opening doors for non-traditional higher-education institutions and the venture-based IT industry to enter the market. This shift, characterized by its flexibility, challenges the conventional view of globalization in higher education. It responds to young people’s evolving desires and orientations in a changing society. This emergence of a new role and mission for higher education presents both an opportunity and a challenge for those involved in international higher education.

7. Methodology

By conducting a mixed-methods survey, which included both closed and open-ended questions, we aimed to see how Japanese university students perceive digital online information, especially foreign news, and apply some of that knowledge to their learning skills in international studies. In July 2023, we conducted a questionnaire survey titled “Research on the Reconstruction of Intercultural Exchange and International Studies in the Digital Age and the Development of Educational Programs”. The survey was designed to gather insights into the students’ perceptions and experiences with digital technology in their academic and international studies. The further goal is to support foundational premises for future digitalization in higher-education teaching based on grounded student input.

The target population consisted of 123 students enrolled in private universities in the Tokyo metropolitan area starting in 2023 and taking international courses. Most of the students who participated in this research were taking courses related to international education and learning content in international subjects, and most of them were in their sophomore to junior years. We asked students from these courses if they would volunteer to fill out our research survey anonymously. The departments where most of these students study mainly focus on international studies. Based on a desire to provide anonymity to student responses, we did not collect further personal identifying information, other than gender, that could be used to break down the student population statistically.

Of note, the surveyed students were 40% male and 60% female. While this study’s statistical sample size is limited, we must note that Japan has historically pronounced gender roles at a societal level, which are exhibited in student’s fields of study. For example, according to the Japanese government’s Gender Equality Bureau Cabinet Office (2024, p. 16), the 2023 gender ratios are higher for women in undergraduate fields like Humanities (64%) and Education (59%) while severely lacking in technical fields like Engineering (16%) and Sciences (28%). While the specific universities tied to this research do not publish specific gender statistics for majors, we have observed that there is generally higher female enrollment in these courses than male students. Given the small sample size and relatively close gender ratio, we do not draw conclusions based on gender for this study.

The courses from which research participants were drawn focus on intercultural topics outside of Japan, with many issues drawn from the United States, based on instructor expertise. Typically, classes will involve studying a particular topic outside of Japan and then discussing how it may be relevant or have an analogous comparison in a Japanese context. Course information relies on academic research materials but is also supplemented by digital and live information and social media. Students are encouraged to research and find their own information using digital tools they are familiar with and use in their daily lives. At the surface level, students learn about current global events and issues outside Japan. However, an important underlying goal is for students to gain a broader perspective and understand these issues from a developed comparative point of view. The class encourages students to think about the modern differences in countries from many perspectives, such as historical, social, political, and economic factors, race, etc. Furthermore, students should consider how, depending on where they live, they may encounter different issues, as well as the intersectionalities between different groups of people.

8. Findings

In this section, we will summarize the opinions of students obtained from this survey, describe common representative answers, and show the overall results of the questions. Our investigation delved into the students’ perspectives on the role of digital technology in their intercultural exchange and international study. We will use these data to discuss the potential for future developments and cross-cultural exchange in higher education, particularly in online learning. Our research survey had three primary components that we will cover in each sub-section below.

8.1. Frequency of Usage of Digital Tools in Studies

First, we sought to determine how often students engage with digital tools for educational purposes. Our first survey question asked the digital-native-generation students how often they use digital tools for their studies. Answers were given on a seven-point scale, 1–7, depending on the frequency of use.

As shown in Figure 1, a total of 37.45% of the students indicated they very often used digital tools in their studies. A larger grouping of 82% of students indicated a moderate to very often use of digital tools. In contrast, the index for response 1, “Never use them at all,” is 0%. These data show how the digital native generation utilizes digital tools and positions information obtained from the Internet as a tool for learning. Overall, the digital-native-generation students stand out for their extensive use of digital tools, a testament to their high level of digital literacy. The high frequency of use by the respondents underscores their confidence in the effectiveness of digital tools for learning, providing strong reassurance about their potential in education.

8.2. How Digital Tools Can Develop Intercultural Skills

Second, to confirm whether digital tools are relevant to intercultural and international studies, we asked: “How has digital technology changed your intercultural exchange and international study?” Student responses noted many ways they see digital technologies used to support intercultural skills development. Appendix A contains the list of common responses from individual students. A total of 31 common responses were grouped into four high-level categories to help highlight key concepts.

• Accessibility and convenience: Eleven response themes noted that technology helps make international topics and communication more accessible, enabling them to communicate with others they would otherwise be unable to. For example, two students said that thanks to digital technologies, “I can easily interact with others” and “I think [intercultural exchange and international study] will be more convenient and smoother”. Some students said that they are more able to gather information related to their research topics quickly.
• Learning opportunities: Ten response themes indicated that technology like internet media and translation technologies help with language learning and learning through communication. They also note that virtual communication provides new opportunities to exchange cultures and a deeper understanding of international topics. For example, one student stated, “I think digital technology is indispensable in gaining knowledge because, without it, there would be many international and cross-cultural issues that I don’t know about now”.
• Connecting people: Nine response themes viewed technology as a tool to form connections with others internationally. For example, one student said, “I think cross-cultural exchange will become more frequently possible because we can easily connect with people overseas, even in distant places”. Another student said, “This is a significant change because I can now meet people in seconds who I would typically have to spend dozens of hours on a plane or ship to meet”.
• Negative aspects: Only one response theme cautioned about the spread of false digital information, stating “While there are positive aspects, I feel there is also information that may be false”.

8.3. How Students Envision Internationalization

Thirdly, to understand how students envision the ideal integration of digital tools in education programs, we asked: “For those living in the digital age, what kind of cross-cultural exchange and international study programs need to be re-established at universities? Please state any specific skills or other items that come to mind”. Responses were categorized into 44 representative groups and were further categorized by theme. The full list can be referenced in Appendix B. We summarize the responses in the following ways:

Student-driven goals, irrespective of digital vs. non-digital means:

• Improving international dialogue and communication skills: Nine response themes indicated that programs should enhance opportunities for international dialogue. There was a trend to prioritize verbal communications over reading and writing. For example, one student stated, “Listening and speaking skills are more valuable than writing skills, so classes that focus on these skills would be suitable”.
• Improving multicultural understanding: Eight response themes felt that programs should develop better multicultural understanding. This ranged from society accepting the diversity of international individuals by better understanding other cultures, their histories, discrimination, and personal biases. One example student response was, “I think it is necessary to understand different cultures and disparities”.

Responses favoring integrations of digital technologies:

• Digital learning and communication opportunities: Ten response themes noted that education programs should better utilize technology to allow domestic students to practice communicating with international students and foreigners virtually. For example, one student shared, “It would be interesting to talk about local information and culture with people who live abroad in class via Zoom, etc.”. Another student shared, “It would be nice to have remote, in-class opportunities to discuss with foreign students”.
• Alternatives to education-abroad programs: Three students sought alternatives to studying abroad. Students noted a lack of equity and access to traditional study-abroad programs. For example, two response groups noted the financial challenge of traditional studying abroad, with one student stating, “Without a financially supported program, it is difficult for students to afford study abroad now that the yen is weak”. On the other hand, digital information and remote communications present much lower barriers to access.

Responses favoring traditional educational paradigms:

• More interactions with international students: Six response themes indicated a need for more incoming international students and ways to interact with them. Responses ranged from universities accepting more international students to creating dedicated spaces and events to interact with them. One student stated, “I want more international students to be accepted. Opportunities to experience different cultures will not develop unless you go out of your way to welcome them”.
• Valuing in-person learning over digital methods: Five responses noted concerns that virtual methods are susceptible to misinformation and a lack of authenticity. For example, students noted, “I want more opportunities to interact with non-Japanese people and hear more about their experiences, not just digital information”. Another student said, “I think students need to actually experience foreign cultures. I think some things can’t be understood just by watching videos”. Students also thought there should be more efforts to connect with local communities and participate in in-person fieldwork, among other varied ideas.
• Dangers of digital technologies: Three response themes noted concerns specifically around the use of digital technologies. Students called out the need for general information literacy, the possibility of misusing them, and the lack of clarity on the boundaries between legitimate and illegitimate uses.

9. Discussion

In this section, we discuss the collected data to understand how Japanese university students who experienced online learning view digital technology as an integral part of their academic skills. These surveyed students, part of the digital native generation, are not just passive recipients of online learning but active participants in shaping the future of education. One of the characteristics of this generation that we particularly focus on is their strong international interests and aspirations. Their global perspective is a fascinating aspect of their identity. They have experienced stay-at-home and forced online learning during their high school or college years. Even though most of their college classes are now taught on site, on other occasions, such as job hunting and internships, they are exposed to online tools and possess experience in online settings. We also explore the role that online learning, facilitated by digital technology, plays in fostering and fulfilling the surveyed population’s international interests and aspirations. Having described the very high-level summary of the survey results, we will closely examine how individual student responses evidenced some trends regarding digitalization and internationalization.

Overall, the feedback we received was positive and brimming with enthusiasm for using digital tools in international learning. Students strongly preferred digital tools in their academic learning, showcasing their eagerness to embrace the potential of digital education. The comments we received show representative examples of how students applied digital tools to study different cultures, their impact on learning, and what skills they could build. Students generally praised the accessibility and convenience of digital information and platforms. In turn, these benefits extended to their perceived opportunities for learning international subject matter and communicating with people abroad. They realize that by utilizing today’s digital technology, international exchange is not only about physical travel as in the past. They recognize these tools’ essential role in studying courses in international fields. This resounding endorsement across most responses further underscores the positive influence digital tools can have on education. It is significant for higher-education faculties to reconsider how this generation builds knowledge from these online sources, how strongly they value digital information, and how they define convenience in their language and perceptions.

In using social media in education, we should maintain sight of the wide range of ways in which student engagement can be linked to learning, in what ways, and to what level it contributes to learning. One of the valuable aspects of social media is that users have instant access to vast amounts of content. Unlike traditional media, users generate social media content constantly, 24 h a day, 365 days a year. Hence, users are always in touch with the latest news, trends, and ideas, and digital platforms make consuming this content extremely easy. Additionally, digital platforms like SNS and social media sites spread such information worldwide, making digital content especially useful for students studying international topics and seeking to develop global competencies. Given the presence of students who use social media primarily for their interests and hobbies, institutions of higher education will be called upon to provide an environment that embraces the upbringing of the younger generation and their strengths in digital skills and that coexists with and deepens the effectiveness of traditional, structured academic disciplines. These are some of the challenges that educators need to address.

9.1. Alternatives to Study Abroad

The traditional information landscape has long been associated with limited access, social stratification, and educational disparities. However, one key takeaway from student responses in this research was a strong bias toward local and digitally remote international and intercultural learning methods, explicitly avoiding the need to leave Japan. As the traditional gold standard for internationalization, the global exchange of faculty and students and studying abroad were previously considered necessary challenges to overcome. However, the increasing use of digital technology in higher education brings these traditional assumptions into question. As noted earlier by UIS (2024) and JAOS (2024), Japan’s tertiary-education outbound mobility rate is very small, indicating the significant hurdles for students to overcome in order to study abroad. In our survey results, no students explicitly noted a desire to study overseas, but many students’ comments sought means for digitally enabled Internationalization At Home (IAH) efforts. The digital native generation knows that studying abroad has high entry barriers, and many responses sought methods of communicating and gaining international information that would not require them to travel abroad.

On the other hand, interest in virtual exchange and IAH programs has grown over time as globalization has increased the value of intercultural competencies, and recent events like COVID-19 have disrupted previous assumptions about the ease and necessity of physical mobility (Buckner et al., 2022). Furthermore, technological advances and integration in society have made digital and virtual solutions to internationalization more promising. Unlike many other countries like the United States, which are made up of many diverse ethnic groups, Japan is much more isolated and homogenous. Students studying international topics have much fewer opportunities for indirect internationalization within Japan. Some IAH programs have traditionally relied on local diaspora communities and organizations that can connect students to their interests in foreign issues, subjects, and cultures. There are notably fewer such opportunities in Japan, so one option is to use digital connections to compensate for local physical equivalents. Furthermore, effective virtual exchange and COIL programs have some barriers, such as requiring institutions to establish formal international partnerships and for participants to have a minimum amount of foreign language ability to communicate in a common language. This could be a problematic barrier for students who only have a casual interest in learning and practicing foreign languages.

In our survey results, only two response groups specifically asked for involvement with local communities and fieldwork outside the university context, which would align more with traditional physical in-person IAH programs. This strong bias towards virtual internationalization and IAH methods versus studying abroad aligns with the low numbers of Japanese students studying abroad in general. It should not be a surprise that this evidences the desire and necessity for more accessible ways to develop intercultural competencies that cater to the overwhelming majority of Japanese tertiary students who do not study abroad. Yet, creating a rigid distinction between those who study abroad and those who do not would ignore the diverse range of interests and personal motivations to study international topics. As noted earlier, the younger generation tends to have a much more cosmopolitan view toward freedom of mobility, traveling, and working abroad. Digital nomads and remote-work lifestyles are becoming more commonplace in recent years. For example, Yamada and Trelfa (2023) found a relatively high interest in international experiences among some Japanese university students. Of 204 respondents:

“32.8% and 23.6% of participants reported being somewhat or very interested in working overseas for a Japanese or foreign company, respectively; 35.3% of participants reported being somewhat or very interested in a long-term stay overseas to obtain certifications and develop specializations; and 40% stated that they would be somewhat or very interested in traveling around the world for a long period”.

(p. 113)

However, there was a significant gap between this interest and their TOEIC English assessment scores required for study-abroad eligibility, with only 12.7% being eligible. This difference again emphasizes the disconnect between student interest and the high personal investment required for traditional study abroad or future international mobility in the workforce. According to the Education First (2024) English Proficiency Index testing, Japan is ranked #92 out of 116 countries and 16th out of 23 countries in Asia. Additionally, its score has steadily fallen from 514 in 2011 to 454 in 2024. We have to carefully consider the present abilities of the average Japanese university student when evaluating future internationalization strategies. For example, where English is the lingua franca, relatively low English proficiency limits the effectiveness of COIL, virtual exchange, and other live communications with international students, assuming English as the primary language of instruction.

Instead of studying abroad, many student responses focused on creating more opportunities to meet and interact with international students in and outside the classroom and on accepting more international students to increase these opportunities. Many students sought the possibility of remote exchanges driven by digital technology. This overall student sentiment that internationalization could and should be achieved through digital communication platforms was a common theme. We should also consider that digital platforms offer other advantages beyond enabling remote communications, such as transcriptions, playing back recordings, instantaneous translation technology, etc., which can support language learning and present a more low-stress format to develop communication skills while using foreign languages.

9.2. Intercultural Benefits of Digital Tools

A second key point is that our results support the idea of digital information and communication platforms as introductory facilitators of internationalization with lower cost barriers and greater access. Moreover, by looking at what further skills and elements higher education should provide by customizing to digital native generations’ learning in higher education, we need to consider how these sources play a substantial role in their learning atmosphere. These generations may still be learning international topics and fields through traditional academic curricula provided by faculty. Still, at the same time, they also learn by themselves by utilizing social media and having other easily accessible online information sources. Based on our survey results, we propose that digital platforms and social network services can serve several purposes that supplement traditional in-classroom learning in several ways. For example, they:

• Facilitate, fulfill, or maintain active student interests in international content.
• Allow for low-stress consumption and communication in foreign languages and topics.
• Bridge classroom learning with real-world examples and applications, such as in advancing Problem-Based Learning investigations and discussions.
• Serve as a gateway to more in-depth learning opportunities like study abroad.

The practical application of digital tools is a significant development in international education. As the quality and value of digital tools and technological advances like AI become more accurate and faster, higher education is assured to have to cope with this phenomenon.

In our survey results, students mentioned a wide variety of benefits from using digital tools, including gaining multiple perspectives, comparative perspectives, independence to investigate things on their initiative, ways to increase their network of contacts other than just meeting face-to-face, and information literacy. Digital tools have become invaluable for students preparing for international exchange or gaining global competence. Digital information can guide students on what to expect when leaving their own country, what to prepare for, and how to navigate the new chapter in their lives. The responses to the survey suggest that digital tools play a bridging role between the impact they have on learning and the skills students internalize and apply in the next step of their studies.

There are many studies that support the value of digital platforms like SNS as a more accessible and low-cost supplement or alternative to study abroad programs. For example, Ngai’s (2019) study of Japanese students studying abroad in the U.S. found that social networking sites positively impact transnational competencies. This study evidences many key points that support the value of SNS for international competencies. To summarize a few points (Ngai, 2019, p. 448):

• A total of 90% of respondents agreed that SNS allowed them to learn about local people’s values, beliefs, and practices.
• Nearly 90% agreed that SNS increased their interest and appreciation for different cultures, values, and perspectives.
• A total of 71% agreed SNS helped them understand awareness of ethnic diversity.

These benefits can extend to social media and international digital content in general. By having students compare information on local and global axes, they also have the advantage of visualizing the exchange of opinions through digital media. For example, a student who follows a local influencer in Japan will find that users outside of Japan are following and commenting on their work and will realize that there are people outside Japan who share similar interests, thus expanding their interests globally. Similarly, you can follow celebrities and influencers in other countries and compare them with those in Japan. It is an experience to think about how one’s behavior patterns and ways of thinking are similar to or different from those of foreign users from global and local comparative perspectives.

The low barriers and ease of access to international knowledge and cross-cultural information through digital tools may make learning more convenient. The fact that many survey respondents uniformly recognized that the information they obtained on the Internet was a casual opportunity that could lead toward more profound information or as convenient introductory guidance will be helpful for providers in designing digital-based cross-cultural learning programs in the future.

9.3. Downsides to Digitalization

On the other hand, for the digital native generation, there is always a question as to the extent to which information on the Internet is credible, indicating that they are aware of the importance of literacy. While they recognize that we can use online information to provide new learning opportunities, they often refer to online resources as a starting point and as “easy to challenge,” meaning they are open to questioning or scrutiny. Unlike the experience gained through actual contact with physical travel and face-to-face, real-life experience, the limited knowledge gained through digital tools is quite different in nature. However, it is often presumed to be a source worthy of reference for learning new things. Still, the prevalence of “shallow content”—digital materials that oversimplify events and lack essential analysis or in-depth thinking—is a cause for concern. So, while students have a critical awareness of how much of the information they obtain from online and social media is only sometimes trustworthy, it did provide another source to learn about international materials from a current-trends perspective. This underscores the increasing importance of information literacy when engaging non-academic or mainstream sources. The ability to critically read and interpret the authenticity of information sources and the content presented is now more crucial than ever. The abundance of content at one’s fingertips can be overwhelming.

A second challenge is that digital information and social media cannot replace the authenticity of fundamental person-to-person interactions in internationalization. Additionally, as noted above, many students asked for IAH opportunities to interact with international students on their campuses, not just remote communications. While digitalization cannot replace these experiences, it does present promising options with different pros and cons. While several survey responses noted the value of in-person communication and experiences, it is unlikely these students advocated specifically for studying abroad since most responses, in general, indicated a desire to connect with international students and or foreign communities while remaining in Japan. The call for more inbound international students has been a long-standing goal and somewhat reflects the status quo of Japanese higher-education policy. Yet, research studies in Japanese higher education often note that these quantitative goals overlook the actual effectiveness of internationalization they produce among students and faculty (Rees, 2024). There is often an implicit segregation between international and domestic students based on communication challenges, with English being the presumed lingua franca. As we touched on earlier, Japanese students’ limited foreign language abilities can prevent more meaningful internationalization from developing, which remains a significant challenge to effective internationalization via in-person communications.

From the academic perspective of higher education, instructors may ask students to use digital tools as a source of information and search for events similar to the information they have obtained from the digital tools based on a given assignment. In this case, search algorithms predict similar content and items that may be of interest and force them to appear in the search results as recommendations. In this manner, applications can easily expand a student’s fields of interest without their knowledge. Therefore, educational institutions need to understand these expansions and the tendency toward information overload and teach students to acquire the skills to select information carefully so that they do not reach a point where they cannot collect information when their field of interest expands. Furthermore, algorithmic content selection can lead to informational echo chambers that do not present an objective picture. Such cases are where the role of educators becomes crucial. They are not just facilitators of knowledge but also guides who help students navigate the vast sea of information. Furthermore, rather than using only digital tools as the primary source of information, it is essential that students experience the process of deep dialogue among faculty members and fellow students by examining previous research that has been established as a conventional academic system, specialized books based on reliable resources with specialized knowledge, and taking classes taught by faculty members who deal with the specialized field in question. The set of courses should include the experience of conducting in-depth dialogues among faculty and students by taking classes taught by faculty members in the field.

9.4. Limitations and Other Considerations

This study focused on assessing the potential value of digital information based on student input. The main limitation of this study is the small sample size of 123 students from two private universities in the Tokyo Metropolitan area. Furthermore, this survey was conducted only among students enrolled in courses dealing with international themes, topics, or subjects with global or cross-cultural relevance. Other researchers may obtain differing results if they conduct surveys at institutions of higher education that focus on internationalization and those that do not. Additionally, the specific characteristics and goals of internationalization in the Japanese higher-education context may vary considerably compared to more ethnically diverse countries, among students and countries with varying proficiency in foreign languages, etc.

While digital media can be valuable for intercultural learning, it also depends on each student’s interests in these subjects. We must also note that how students engage with intercultural learning is highly subjective and based on individual characteristics (Sercu, 2022; Ngai, 2019). For example, more open and extroverted students are more likely to create opportunities for intercultural learning and communication on their own.

10. Conclusions

Through this survey, we confirmed that the surveyed Japanese university students, often referred to as the “digital native generation” due to their upbringing in a digital age, tend to use various digital tool sources to gather information related to their interests. They are adept at using digital tools efficiently, spontaneously, and proactively in their studies and outside. In particular, they are exposed to a vast amount of information on their hobbies and interests, and their sources of information and knowledge continue to expand through social media. The survey results are beneficial for providers in designing digital-based cross-cultural learning.

Digital tools are significant in increasing decision-making materials, gaining new perspectives, and carrying out exchanges. The survey results showed that students considered digital information and tools highly valuable in conveniently carrying out international exchanges. There may be differences in the use of digital tools among digital natives enrolled in higher education, depending on their field of study, specialization, individual goals, awareness of issues, and the career they are aiming for. However, it is common knowledge that digital tools have become essential for the generation to gain new perspectives that previous generations may have lacked. In other words, digital tools serve as a gateway to international exchange and study abroad and may be the first step in learning that leads to more complex endeavors. To begin with, it is not easy to experience different cultures, go to various countries, travel abroad, whether for short or long periods, or step out of one’s comfort zone and explore the unknown. Digital tools present an opportunity to guide and facilitate learning as students increase their awareness and interest in international topics. Through the use and application of today’s rapidly developing digital technology to supplement traditional academic methods, students can gain exposure to aspects that the traditional international education and knowledge system flow could not provide.

On the other hand, we also confirmed that students know that social media is only one source of information and that they should look at the “pitfalls” of social media, such as the credibility of information sources, the potential for echo chambers, and the influence of algorithms, with a critical eye. While a vast amount of information can be easily gathered on a device at hand, there is an excessive mix of unfiltered and unverified information sources, some of which are fake or biased.

This research has several limitations and further challenges that we noted in the previous discussion. There is a need to collect, analyze, and accumulate data on the similarities and differences among the same digital native generation, depending on the characteristics of higher-education institutions and the courses students take. If the progress of information technology continues in the future, then there is a need for more in-depth research on how to use digital tools better and integrate them into education. The development of educational methods based on traditional and digital tools for the digital native generation and the acquisition of information literacy skills by students play an essential role in higher-education institutions, with digital tools offering outstanding potential for student engagement.

Note: This paper is based on a Japanese paper, “新たな高等教育の国際化-デジタル世代による新しい異文化学修に向けて-” (The Internationalization of Higher Education: Towards a New Intercultural Learning Style for the Digital Native Generation), in review by the publisher Toshindo, and has been significantly updated and revised.