Different paths, same destination? Mobility trajectories of Mainland PhD students during the COVID-19 pandemic at a Hong Kong University

Abstract

This study considers the diverse mobility trajectories of students from Mainland China (MC) who have studied in the West and relocated to Hong Kong (HK) to pursue PhDs. Based on interview data and documentary evidence, it explores how various forms of power have molded these mobility trajectories during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings highlight two distinct types of academic mobility: cross-border and intracity. These trajectories interconnect and overlap while influenced by different manifestations of power integral to students’ academic experiences. Furthermore, the study critically evaluates the concept of a ‘safe place’ by analyzing the interviewees’ physical mobility trajectories—both within HK and between MC and HK. It reveals that the power dynamics underpinning public health policies in MC and HK, the linguistic practices in HK, and the 2019 political protests collectively impact students’ sense of belonging in HK. The study highlights the significance of developing education-related soft power, as well as a campus culture that promotes equal dialogue and mutual understanding.

Keywords:

• Student mobility
• Hong Kong
• transborder mobility
• power

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ling Wang

Ling Wang is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong. Her research focuses on power and leadership in higher education, academic career, and doctoral education.

Rui Yang

Rui Yang is Professor and Dean in the Faculty of Education at The University of Hong Kong. With three and a half decades in China, Australia and Hong Kong, he has established his reputation among scholars in English and Chinese languages in the fields of comparative and international education and Chinese higher education. Bridging the theoretical thrust of comparative education and the applied nature of international education, his research interests include education policy sociology, comparative and cross-cultural studies in education, international higher education, educational development in Chinese societies, and international politics in educational research.