Cultural and educational adaptation during transition From Chinese to UK universities

Yuefang Zhou, John Todman, Keith J. Topping, Divya Jindal-Snape

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

    Abstract

    It was estimated by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA, n.d.) that in 2006-2007 almost 50, 000 Chinese students were studying in the UK for a higher education (HE) award, the majority of whom were postgraduates. It is estimated that a substantial number of these Chinese postgraduate students were studying under the Sino-UK collaborative programs, involving formal links between UK and Chinese HE institutions. It is plausible that the experience of these students coming to study in a UK university from a UK partner university in China might well be different from those who come to the UK individually. One possible reason would be that they are usually better prepared in terms of having participated in adaptation programs prior to their arrival in the UK. It is also possible that students coming in large groups will exert some influence on teaching and learning, and raise the issue of whether UK tutors (and those in other host countries) will have to adapt more to the Chinese students. It is, therefore, timely to research the adaptation experience of Chinese postgraduate students coming to the UK, not only for the purpose of smoothing their transitional period and improving academic outcomes, but also for the purpose of encouraging UK and other host country staff to think about whether and how they also may need to adapt (Chalmers & Volet, 1997; Zhou, 2006; Zhou & Todman, 2008).

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationEducational Transitions
    Subtitle of host publicationMoving Stories from Around the World
    EditorsDivya Jindal-Snape
    Place of PublicationNew York
    PublisherRoutledge
    Chapter11
    Pages186-204
    Number of pages19
    ISBN (Electronic)9781135281427
    ISBN (Print)9780415805919
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2009

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • General Social Sciences

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