Developing Intercultural Communication Competence in Romanian Military Environment

Abstract Currently, the Romanian military students are part of a military organization that is transparent and open to knowledge, innovation and cooperation, where intercultural mediation and interaction with different cultures is fostered. Interculturality brings with it a new matrix of communication, which implies an opening from interpersonal and social communication to intercultural communication. And the military educational environment must have the capacity to develop and refine intercultural communication competence and to overcome the communication barriers that the young soldier encounters. A paradigm shift is needed in which the Self and the other are complementary. The research presents on the basis of literature the concept of intercultural culture and communication as well as the defining elements for communication competence and intercultural communication competence. To achieve the proposed objectives empirical research based on observation and analysis will be conducted. The development of intercultural communication competence in the military environment implies the ability to negotiate cultural meanings and value system, the cultivation of a tolerant, open and permissive attitude to diversity.