Cultural Intelligence and Diversity Tolerance among Students in Public Universities: The Mediating Effect of Cross-Group Friendship, with Evidence from Ambo University

Abstract

The study was aimed to assess the relationship between cultural intelligence and diversity tolerance among public university students, with a focus on the mediating role of cross-group friendships. Despite the significance of cultural competence in pluralistic societies like Ethiopia, empirical evidence on these domains remains limited, specifically in Ethiopian universities that sporadically experience ethnic-based tensions. This study was guided by cross sectional quantitative design and involved a sample of 319 regular undergraduate students enrolled at Ambo University. The participants were selected using stratified random sampling and completed validated tools assessing CQ, DT, and CGF. Data were analyzed using SPSS 23, with AMOS program. Thus the confirmatory factor analysis
was conducted using AMOS and Hayes’ PROCESS macro (model 4.2) was employed for mediation analysis. The analysis indicated that 62.4% of participants scored high in overall CQ, with motivational (63%) and behavioral (63.6%) dimensions scoring highest, while metacognitive CQ (49.3%) was relatively weaker. The study also found significant positive correlations between CQ and DT (r = .823), CQ and CGF (r = .655), and CGF and DT (r = .793). The mediation analysis revealed that CGF partially mediated the link between CQ and DT (indirect effect: β = 0.14, 95% CI [0.11,0.18]), accounting for 35.49% of the total effect. These finding highlight the double paths through which CQ promotes DT: directly through cognitive-affective processes and indirectly by fostering meaningful intergroup relation. The study emphasized the need to implement targeted interventions by Universities, such as structured cross cultural training, reflective exercises, and policies promoting
cross-ethnic connections, in order to strengthen social cohesion.