Global perspectives, local impact

Chinese students’ role in global higher education

Authors

  • Xuefan Li University of Toronto, Canada
  • Tingsong Li Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
  • Donghua Li City High School, Toronto, Canada
  • Xiaoxu Zhou University of Toronto, Canada
  • Yuxiang Cheng Peking University, Beijing, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/zbg13h61

Keywords:

Chinese international students, transnational education, globalization

Abstract

This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the multifaceted role of Chinese international students in the global higher education landscape from the unique perspective of policymakers. As the first comprehensive postpandemic qualitative study of its kind, it provides insights through interviews with policymakers and admission officers across 11 countries on four continents. Research reveals that while Chinese students are consistently perceived as significant contributors across economic, cultural, and academic domains, their integration is accompanied by inherent complexities and challenges. The findings highlight how countries are adapting their educational policies to navigate both the substantial impacts and the diverse difficulties faced by these students, underscoring the critical need for adaptive, inclusive, and responsive policies in the evolving post-pandemic era.

Author Biographies

  • Xuefan Li, University of Toronto, Canada

    Xuefan Li, a PhD candidate at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto, Canada. His research interests focus on educational intelligence, the integration of AI in education, prompt engineering, online education, online program design, and the economics of education

  • Tingsong Li, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China

    Tingsong Li, a PhD candidate at the School of Education at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. He also works at the Global College of SJTU. His research interests focus on the internationalization of higher education, the academic and professional development of university faculty members, and AI education. Email: litingsong@sjtu.edu.cn

  • Donghua Li, City High School, Toronto, Canada

    Donghua Li, a principal of an international high school in Canada, helps students navigate their academic and personal growth. Her research interests focus on international education and educational technology, with a particular interest in how these fields can shape and enhance the learning experience in today’s digital world. Email: Donghua.li@cityhs.ca

  • Xiaoxu Zhou, University of Toronto, Canada

    Xiaoxu Zhou, a PhD candidate at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto, Canada. Her research interests include online learning and special education

  • Yuxiang Cheng, Peking University, Beijing, China

    Yuxiang Cheng, a PhD candidate at the Department of Economics, Peking University, Beijing, China. His research interests focus on the educational economy and the integration of AI in education. 

References

AACSB. (2025). Global Minds, Local Impact: A Case for Student Mobility. AACSB International. Retrieved from https://www.aacsb.edu/insights/reports/2025/global-minds-local-impact-a-case-for-student-mobility

Ai, X. (2017). The Enlightenment of Internationalization of Higher Education on Foreign Language Education. In 2017 3rd International Conference on Social Science and Higher Education (pp. 190-192). Atlantis Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2991/icsshe-17.2017.48

Alam, M., Lu, J., Li, N., Hu, S., & Xu, Y. (2021). Psychological outcomes and associated factors among the international students living in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 707342. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.707342

Altbach, P. G., & Knight, J. (2007). The internationalization of higher education: Motivations and realities. Journal of Studies in International Education, 11(3-4), 290-305. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315307303542

Auschner, E., & Jiang, L. (2025). Chinese students in German technical universities face challenges, highlighting key obstacles such as language barriers, cultural differences, and limited trust in institutional support. Journal of International Students.

Auschner, E., & Jiang, L. (2025). Implementing Chinese student support services at a German technical university. Journal of International Students, 15(5), 63–80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/c7g6t059

Boström, L., Collén, C., Damber, U., & Gidlund, U. (2021). A rapid transition from campus to emergent distant education; effects on students’ study strategies in higher education. Education Sciences, 11(11), 721. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11110721

Cantwell, B. (2015). Are international students cash cows? Examining the relationship between new international undergraduate enrollments and institutional revenue at public colleges and universities in the US. Journal of International Students, 5(4), 512-525. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v5i4.412

Demuyakor, J. (2020). Coronavirus (COVID-19) and online learning in higher institutions of education: A survey of the perceptions of Ghanaian international students in China. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 10(3), e202018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29333/ojcmt/8286

Duanaeva, S., Berdibayeva, S., Garber, A., Baizhumanova, B., & Adilova, E. (2023). Cross-cultural study of resilience, stress, and coping behavior as prerequisites for the success of international students. The Open Psychology Journal, 16(1), Article e187435012306160.

Geerlings, L., & Lundberg, A. (2018). Global discourses and power/knowledge: Theoretical reflections on futures of higher education during the rise of Asia. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 38(2), 229-240. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2018.1460259

Guo, Y., Guo, S., Yochim, L., & Liu, X. (2022). Internationalization of Chinese higher education: Is it westernization?. Journal of Studies in International Education, 26(4), 436-453. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315321990745

Haider, S., & Dilshad, M. (2015). Higher education and global development. Higher Education for the Future, 2(2), 175-193. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631114558185

Hong, H., Lee, S., & Tian, Q. (2020). The influence of international education experience on host country-related outcomes: An analysis of Chinese Students’ relationships with South Korean universities. Sustainability, 12(22), 9703. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229703

Hsieh, Y. C., & Watson, J. C. (2025). Promoting well-being and belonging among international graduate students using positive psychology approaches. Journal of International Students. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/4gzmgn64

Huang, F. (2025). To stay or to leave? Unraveling the interplay of education policy and language factors on the future decisions. International Journal of Intercultural Relations.

Huang, L., Kern, M. L., & Oades, L. G. (2022). Chinese international students’ conceptualizations of wellbeing: A prototype analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 939576. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.939576

Institute of International Education. (2020). IIE report shows steep decline in number of international students attending US colleges and universities. Retrieved from((https://www.acenet.edu/News-Room/Pages/IIE-Report-Shows-Steep-Decline-in-Number-of-International-Students-Attending-US-Colleges-and-Universities.aspx))

IAUP. (2025, March 25). Five key trends fundamentally affecting global higher education. Retrieved from https://www.iaup.org/2025/03/25/five-key-trends-fundamentally affecting-global-higher-education/

Ke, Y., & Berliner, D. C. (2010). Chinese international students in the United States: Demographic trends, motivations, acculturation features and adjustment challenges. Asia Pacific Education Review, 12(2), 173-184. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-010-9117-x

Koirala-Azad, S., & Blundell, J. (2011). Concepts of choice and motivation in the discourse on the globalization of higher education. Intercultural Education, 22(3), 135-148. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2011.592014

Lawrence, L., & Wu, J. (2021). China's higher education governance during COVID: a mixed-methods study of policy analysis and student perspectives. Asian Education and Development Studies, 10(2), 295-307. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/AEDS-05-2020-0115

Lemoine, P., Jenkins, W., & Richardson, M. (2017). Global higher education: Development and implications. Journal of Educational Development, 1(1), 58. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20849/jed.v1i1.253

Li, H., & Pitkänen, P. (2018). Understanding the integration of mainland Chinese students. Nordic Journal of Migration Research, 8(2), 107-115. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/njmr-2018-0008

Li, T., Zong, X., & Zhang, W. (2025). The determinants of international students studying in China: An empirical research based on the “Belt and Road” perspective. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329787 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329787

Li, Z. (2017). Chinese International Students Attending American Universities: How Can We Help You? A Qualitative Study on Chinese International Students' Acculturation Experiences. Brigham Young University.

Luo, W. T., & Mao, A. (2022). Impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on professional identity development of intern nursing students in China: A scoping review. PloS One, 17(10), e0275387. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275387

Ma, Y., & Zhan, N. (2020). To mask or not to mask amid the COVID-19 pandemic: How Chinese students in America experience and cope with stigma. Chinese Sociological Review, 54(1), 1-26. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/21620555.2020.1833712

Marginson, S., & Sawir, E. (2005). Interrogating global flows in higher education. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 3(3), 281-309. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14767720500166878

Merola, R. H., Coelen, R. J., & Hofman, W. H. A. (2019). The role of integration in understanding differences in satisfaction among Chinese, Indian, and South Korean international students. Journal of Studies in International Education, 23(5), 535-553. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315319861355

Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. (2019). In 2018, the total number of Chinese students studying abroad reached 662,100 [in Chinese]. Retrieved from http://www.xinhuanet.com/2019-03/27/c_1124291948.htm

Mok, K. H., Xiong, W., Ke, G., & Cheung, J. O. W. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on international higher education and student mobility: Student perspectives from mainland China and Hong Kong. International Journal of Educational Research, 105, 101718. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2020.101718

Monteiro, A., Lopes, S., & Carbone, F. (2021). Academic mobility. In Nunes, M. (Ed.), Handbook of Research on the Global Impact of Mobility and Virtual Teams (pp. 275-301). IGI Global. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-5053-3.ch016

Pan, S. (2021). COVID-19 and the neo-liberal paradigm in higher education: Changing landscape. Asian Education and Development Studies, 10(2), 322-335. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/AEDS-06-2020-0129

Park, C., & Shimada, S. (2022). The impact of changing nonimmigrant visa policies on international students’ psychological adjustment and well-being in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study. BMC Public Health, 22(1), 2227. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14698-1

Qi, J., & Ma, C. (2021). Australia’s crisis responses during COVID-19. Journal of International Students, 11(S2), 94-111. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v11iS2.3578

Rakhimbekova, B., Seisebayeva, R., & Abdigaliyeva, G. (2022). Higher education in Kazakhstan: global trends and state policy. Farabi Journal of Social Sciences, 8(2), 4-12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26577/FJSS.2022.v8.i2.01

Rana, N., Kalal, N., & Sharma, S. K. (2022). Fear and challenges of nursing students being in hospital for clinical posting during the COVID-19 pandemic: An exploratory survey. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 867606. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.867606

Rickert, A. C. (2025). Postpandemic potential: Readying for the new era of international student enrollment. Journal of International Students. Retrieved from https://www.ojed.org/jis/article/view/6582 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/ca57zd88

Rodriguez, M. A., Mohamed, M., & Barthelemy, R. S. (2025). The impact of politics and COVID-19 on graduate STEM international students of color. Journal of International Students, 15(1), 189-214. Retrieved from((https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=n-_mODAAAAAJ&hl=en)) DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/8cy00b62

Spencer-Oatey, H., Dauber, D., Jing, J., & Lifei, W. (2017). Chinese students’ social integration into the university community: Hearing the students’ voices. Higher Education, 74, 739-756. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-016-0074-0

Spencer‐Oatey, H., Dauber, D., & Williams, S. (2017). Promoting integration on campus: Principles, practice, and issues for further exploration. Journal of International Students, 7(2), 107-117.

Sunrise International. (2025). Sunrise's Trends in Chinese International Education 2025 White Paper. Retrieved from https://sieconnection.com/insight/2025/2/3/sunrises-trends-in-chinese-international-education-2025-white-paper

Tian, L., Zhang, Y., & Wang, Z. (2021). An Investigation into the Adaptability of Chinese Students in the UK from a Cross-Culture Perspective. In 2021 6th International Conference on Modern Management and Education Technology (MMET 2021) (pp. 607-612). Atlantis Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.211011.108

Times of India. (2025, July 30). Hong Kong is quietly becoming a global student magnet amid US education system's crackdown: Here’s why. Retrieved from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/study-abroad/as-us-education-system-falters-hong-kong-is-quietly becoming-a-global-student-magnet-heres-why/articleshow/122944487.cms

Wang, X., Lu, L., Wang, X., Qu, M., Yuan, L., Gao, Y., et al. (2021). Relationships between cross-cultural adaptation, perceived stress and psychological health among international undergraduate students from a medical university during the COVID-19 pandemic: A moderated mediation model. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 783210. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.783210

Wang, Y., & Mireles-Rios, R. (2025). Peer dynamics and only child experiences: Influences on academic motivation among Chinese international graduate students in the U.S. Journal of International Students. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/5d8mn890

Wu, F. (2025). Being privileged but challenged: Understanding Chinese international students’ college choice process. Journal of International Students. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/nh8vzw94

Wu, Q. (2014). Motivations and decision-making processes of mainland Chinese students for undertaking master’s programs abroad. Journal of Studies in International Education, 18(5), 426-444. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315313519823

Xiaofang, W., Zhang, L., & Chen, R. (2025). Sociocultural adaptation of Chinese international students in the U.S.: Influencing factors and dynamics. Frontiers in Psychology.

Xue, W., & Kaur Mehar Singh, M. (2025). Unveiling the academic, sociocultural, and psychological adaptation challenges of Chinese international students in Malaysia: A systematic review. Journal of International Students, 15(2), 69-86. https://doi.org/10.32674/37286t88 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/37286t88

Yang, W., & Du, S. (2025). Cultural identity construction, focusing on how Chinese students studying in Canada navigate conflicts between Chinese and Western cultures. Journal of International Students.

Zang, F., Tian, M., Fan, J., & Ying, S. (2022). Influences of online learning environment on international students’ intrinsic motivation and engagement in the Chinese learning. Journal of International Students, 12(S1), 61-82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v12iS1.4608

Zhai, K., Gao, X., & Geng, W. (2019). Factors for Chinese students choosing Australian higher education and motivation for returning: a systematic review. SAGE Open, 9(2), 215824401985026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019850263

Downloads

Published

2026-02-10

Issue

Section

Research Articles (English, regular edition)

Categories

How to Cite

Li, X. ., Li, T., Li, D. ., Zhou, X. ., & Cheng, Y. . (2026). Global perspectives, local impact: Chinese students’ role in global higher education. Journal of International Students, 16(4), 185-212. https://doi.org/10.32674/zbg13h61