Exploring Stakeholder Perceptions on the Quality and Improvement of International Student Education in a Chinese Elite University

Abstract

As a key aspect of higher education internationalisation, international student education (ISE) has rapidly expanded globally over the past three decades, with a significant increase in international student mobility. Sustainable internationalisation requires shifting the focus from merely increasing international student numbers driven by market imperatives to prioritising the quality of ISE. Decolonial internationalisation emphasises moving beyond Western-centric perspectives to incorporate insights from non-Western contexts. Despite China’s rise as a prominent non-Western destination for international students, research on the quality and improvement of ISE in China remains limited. Drawing on systems theory, integrating a critical systems approach and stakeholder theory, this study develops a conceptual framework to inform its research questions and guide its research design. The study examines international students’ perceptions of their experiences in an elite Chinese university and explores the perspectives of international students, academics, and administrators on the strengths, weaknesses, and unintended consequences of ISE policies and practices, as well as strategies and challenges for improving ISE quality.

A sequential mixed-methods design was employed, comprising survey data from 306 international undergraduates and interviews with five international undergraduates, five academics, and five administrators. Statistical and thematic analyses revealed that: (1) international students generally held moderately positive to positive perceptions of their experiences across four dimensions, with the COVID-19 pandemic having a particularly negative impact on perceptions of two dimensions: study and extracurricular activities, and administration and support services; (2) eleven strengths and twelve weaknesses of ISE policies and practices were identified, leading to four unintended consequences: the risk of academic failure, potential bias against international students, staff wellbeing issues, and the impacts of COVID-19; (3) strategies for improving ISE quality include improving the quality of international student intake, providing additional support for international students, optimising the ISE management system and team performance, and promoting self-improvement among international students; (4) challenges for improving ISE quality relate to recruitment and admissions, institutional motivations, resource inputs, and potential divergences among stakeholders. The findings suggest policy and practice improvements in admissions criteria, class modes, the ISE management system, and language support for international students. Furthermore, the study emphasises the importance of cultural and contextual considerations when promoting a SaP approach to quality improvement and highlights the need for systems approaches that effectively address diverse and potentially conflicting stakeholder perspectives.

Date of Award	13 May 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bristol
Sponsors	China Scholarship Council
Supervisor	Sally M Thomas (Supervisor), Lisa Lucas (Supervisor) & Robin Shields (Supervisor)