Learning Citizenship Values in Chinese Universities: A Role for International Students in Promoting Chinese Values Globally
Funding Scheme
General Research Fund (RGC)
Funding Amount
HK$938,700
Awarded Year
2024
A better understanding of Chinese citizenship values for international students
With the rapid internationalisation of higher education, young people’s experiences of transnational mobility are increasing. The potential effects of this on citizenship formation, especially in the Chinese context, are underexplored. The research team, composed of Prof. Bruce John Macfarlane, Prof. Kerry John Kennedy, and Dr. Zhenzhou Zhao from EdUHK, Prof. Zhonghua Guo from Nanjing University, and Prof. Jin Xie from Tsinghua University, is embarking on a study to address the topic of citizenship in the context of Chinese universities’ aspirations for regional and global reach.
Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. The research team contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Our Researcher(s)
Although research reveals that international students may experience language barriers and cultural challenges when adapting to university life in China, there has been little research exploring their learning experiences and citizenship values in this context. Limited empirical evidence has been collected, within or outside China. We will examine citizenship education in transnational contexts and explore the complexity of citizenship formation as mobility increases, based on the Chinese experience.
This project will provide new insights into approaches to citizenship learning for transnational youth, an increasingly important focus of research in national and global contexts. It will contribute to policy developments and curriculum construction related to international students in China’s higher education.
The outcomes of this study will inform Chinese policymakers and educators about the experiences and perceptions of international students and thus contribute to ongoing policy development and curriculum construction in the nation’s transnational education. Its findings also have long-term policy implications for China’s management of international students within its higher education system.
