Factors influencing international student inward mobility in China: a comparison between students from BRI and non-BRI countries

ABSTRACT

As a global infrastructure development strategy launched by the Chinese government in 2013, the “Belt and Road Initiative” has attracted increasing attention. Most studies have interpreted the strategy from the perspectives of macro policy, diplomatic and economic influence, and education communication. However, there is a scarcity of studies focusing on factors influencing BRI students’ decision to study in China. With a sequential explanatory mixed method, the paper compared BRI and non-BRI students and found that the two groups’ students have significantly different motivations to study in China. Their decisions are usually based on whether external factors can meet their personal needs and the possible benefits and cost of meeting such needs. Hence, it is suggested that China take different marketing strategies in response to different students’ needs and improve the quality and visibility of higher education to China’s international education’s sustainable development.

KEYWORDS:

• Belt and road initiative
• international student mobility
• mixed research method

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, Brunei and Laos.

2. Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Georgia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt.

3. Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Bhutan and Maldives.

4. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

5. Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine.

6. Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Romania, Bulgaria and Macedonia.

7. Project 985 is a constructive project for founding world-class universities in the 21st century conducted by the government of the People’s Republic of China since 1998. In the initial phase, 9 universities were included in the project. The second phase, launched in 2004, expanded the programme until it has now reached 39 universities.

8. Project 211 is the Chinese government’s new endeavour aimed at strengthening about 100 institutions of higher education and key disciplinary areas as a national priority for the 21st century. There are 112 universities in the project 211.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Excellent Youth Support Program” for special consultation on basic scientific research business expenses of central colleges and universities [21lzujbkyjh011].