PurposeThis paper aims to explore Indonesian students' perceptions of student exchanges or studies abroad regarding cultural intelligence's influence on innovative behavior through interpersonal trust.Design/methodology/approachThis study has used a quantitative research approach. Data analysis uses an approach structural equation modeling-partial least squares (SEM-PLS) supported by program computer software Smart-PLS 3.0. An online questionnaire was distributed to 224 respondents, but only 214 were qualified. In this study, the respondent is Indonesian students who have been completed or are currently conducting student exchanges or studying abroad in the Asia and Australia region.FindingsThis pilot study reveals that high cultural intelligence students positively affect their individuals' innovative behavior. Moreover, interpersonal trust levels would mediate the influence of cultural intelligence on individual innovative behavior students. These results indicate that most Indonesian citizen students who took part in student exchanges or studying abroad had high cultural intelligence.Originality/valueThis study focused on influence cultural intelligence on individuals' innovative behavior, which is referred to as cross-cultural interaction. Also, this study focused on Indonesian citizen students who took part in student exchanges or studying abroad. This kind of research has not been thoroughly or even not been discussed in academic research. Therefore, it was necessary to put this issue into a science education and management science.

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