Promoting intercultural communicative competence (ICC) is seen as one of the most important goals at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of education. However, in Indonesian higher education context, there is still an iota of evidence regarding pre-service teachers’ understandings of the term ICC. Thus, this study attempts to gain insights into Indonesian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) pre service teachers’ perception of ICC and how the perceptions contribute to their future practices. Employing a mixed-method case study design, data were collected from 19 pre-service English teachers at a university in Central Java, Indonesia. Quantitative data were gathered through a structured questionnaire based on Byram’s ICC model. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that while the participants demonstrated a fragmented understanding of ICC, they recognized its importance and expressed a strong commitment to incorporating ICC objectives into their teaching practices. Despite some limitations in their conceptualization of ICC, the participants showed enthusiasm for implementing culture-related activities in the classroom. These results highlight the need for comprehensive teacher training programs to bridge theoretical and practical gaps, equipping future educators to promote ICC effectively in Indonesian EFL classrooms.
