Mission & History

Mission Statement

The International Center for Intercultural Communication (ICIC), housed within the Indiana University School of Liberal Arts, studies English language and intercultural communication through the use of linguistic science and applies its research to benefit the local and global community by implementing practical and customizable education and training in English language and culture for specific purposes.

Zimmer Karl and Barbara

Barbara and Karl Zimmer

“Understanding between and among disparate cultures has challenged mankind throughout history; and clearly, communication, intercultural communication, is a key element in achieving understanding. We believe a disciplined, linguistic approach to the study of intercultural communication, an approach that includes the building of linguistic corpora, research in contrastive rhetoric, and practical, real life application of the best practices learned, can provide valuable insights toward achieving understanding among cultures. Nowhere is this approach followed more faithfully than at ICIC.”

History of the ICIC

1998 – The International Center for Intercultural Communication (ICIC) was established by the IU Board of Trustees in 1998 as a research and service unit housed in the Department of English in the IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI.

2003 – With a generous gift from the Zimmer family, an Endowed Chair position was established in 2003 to support the center’s mission well into the future.

2010 – The center was awarded a prestigious Signature Center Initiative Grant from IUPUI to support ICIC’s health communications research and community outreach.

2015 – The ICIC moved to its current location in Cavanaugh Hall, home of the IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI.

2017 – The ICIC hosted the 15th Annual International Communication, Medicine, and Ethics (COMET) Conference at IUPUI.

2019 – The ICIC expanded its programs to international teacher training with help from the US Department of State and FHI 360.

The center is proud that it has generated nearly $10 million in revenues from external and internal grants and contracts since its inception in support of its program and mission.