Expectations vs. reality - the Chinese students' experience
- Summary
- The growth of Chinese students in the UK
- A land of ‘gentle people and gentlemen’
- Alas reality is not entirely a land of roses
- A very different learning culture
- What would Chinese students like to take back with them to China?
- Footnote
- References
Summary
There has been a huge growth in the number of students coming from China in recent years, but how well do these students adapt to the British way of life? Pearl Mok from the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (HECSU) looks at some of the cultural issues encountered by these students, as reported in some recent studies.
The growth of Chinese students in the UK
The UK remains a popular destination for international students. Over the last decade, the number of overseas students studying in higher education institutions in this country has increased by 1.7 times, from just under 200,000 in 1995/96 to over 330,000 in 2005/06 [1]. In particular, the number of students coming from the Republic of China has increased by 17.5 fold during this period (see Figure 1). Although the number dropped slightly in 2005/06, China continues to provide over 50,000 students to the UK - the highest amongst all overseas countries and accounting for more than 15% of non-UK domiciled students [2].
A survey of 1,840 international students, as part of a study commissioned by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (HECSU), reveals that the quality of UK qualifications was the main reason cited by students for studying in the UK, followed closely by personal interest and the prestige of UK qualifications [3]. International students constitute a major income source for institutions, and increasing effort is being put into marketing the UK and its universities in order to attract these students. However, do the expectations of these students match the reality? And how do students adapt to living in a culturally different country - a question perhaps more pertinent for those coming from an Eastern culture such as China.
A land of ‘gentle people and gentlemen’
A recent study by Professor Greg Philo from Glasgow University Media Group has revealed some very interesting, as well as worrying, aspects about the experiences of Chinese students studying in the UK (see footnote) [4]. The study reported that before coming to the UK, Chinese students’ beliefs about the country were generally overwhelmingly positive. Images of characters from classic authors such as Jane Austen and Charles Dickens gave the impression that Britain is a country of ’gentle’ people and gentlemen. Umbrellas, suits, walking sticks, top hats and traditional English afternoon tea, were some of the other images students had before arriving in this country.
Alas reality is not entirely a land of roses
The study, however, revealed that these great expectations ‘were shattered when people lived in Britain’, with those living in large cities much more likely to be shocked by what they saw. Behaviour of some of the young people, drunkenness, crimes and racial discrimination were some of the complaints that students made. There was also criticism that ‘international students were being used simply as a fundraising opportunity and were being recruited just for the money’.
A very different learning culture
Chinese students not only experience cultural differences in their everyday lives, they also have to adapt to a very different teaching and learning environment. An in-depth study of nine postgraduate students from China enrolled on a one-year taught Masters programme, carried out by Dr Yvonne Turner from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne Business School, has revealed some of the academic obstacles faced by these students [5]. The research also drew on evidence from other studies, summarising what are generally thought of as the characteristics of a ‘model’ Chinese university student and those of a ‘model’ British student, and these are shown in Table 1.
| The ‘model’ Chinese student | The ‘model’ British student |
|---|---|
| Young, unmarried, full-time student | Any age, studying through many patterns |
| Work hard to achieve results - the harder working, the better the student | Combines hard work and trained/natural ability |
| Passive-receptive learner, listens to the teacher and studies privately | Active learner, asks lots of questions and participates vocally in class |
| Learns mainly by reading and processing knowledge | Learns by combining a range of learning skills - an active, problem-solving-based learner |
| Responds to teacher direction obediently and adopts both structures and substance of the study according to teacher direction | Meets the teacher’s suggestions with independent mind and imagination, studies in trained but personalised style |
| Combines intellectual capability and ‘good’ moral behaviour - a good citizen | Intellectual and moral behaviour not an inevitable combination - the development of individual ethics |
| Highly competitive with others in cohort, strives to be the ‘best’ | May strive to ‘do one’s best’ against the standard |
| Does not question accepted norms and ideas in the classroom | Takes a critical stance on knowledge and learning |
| Learns within defined disciplinary rules and boundaries | Contextualises learning and relates it to other aspects of life in a holistic manner |
According to the study, learning for students in China tends to be structured and teacher-centred, whilst the British system tends to be more student-focused and discovery-based. The nine postgraduate students interviewed reported difficulties in adapting to the British education convention - probably not helped by the fact that they were only enrolled on a one-year course and thus did not have a long time to adjust. They were also said to have experienced high levels of emotional isolation and loneliness, which affected their academic confidence.
On the other hand, the ‘creativity’, ‘interactive methods’ and the ‘intellectual rigour’ of the British education system were praised by many students in the Philo report. The British system was also seen as less hierarchical than that in China [4].
What would Chinese students like to take back with them to China?
Despite the negative experiences encountered by some of the Chinese students in the Philo report, students have many positive things to say about their time in Britain. A culture of manners and care was seen as one of the most impressive elements of British life, something which students said they would like to take back with them. Even some of those who had bad experiences with young people reported that most Britons were friendly and willing to help others. Chinese students also commented that the British had a relaxed attitude to enjoying their lives - not only kind to each other but also kind to themselves.
In addition, the British society was seen as more gender balanced in terms of job opportunities. There was approval for Britain’s law and regulatory systems, and comparisons were made with the system in China where, in general, there was a much stronger reliance on informal networks of support. There was also praise for the openness of British culture, and despite criticisms of being simply recruited for fundraising, the majority of the Chinese students in the Philo report stated that the education they had received was actually good value for money.
Footnote
In this article, Chinese students refer to those coming from the People's Republic of China.
References
1. Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) annual publication Students in Higher Education Institutions.
2. ‘HESA students in higher education institutions 2005/06 reveals India now number 2 provider of overseas students to UK’, Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) press release, 26 March 2007.
3. Careers Advisory Services and International Students, Gill Cappuccini, Lee Harvey, James Williams, Tamsin Bowers-Brown, Colin McCaig, Satya Sagu, and Morag MacDonald, September 2005.
4. Cultural Transfer: The Impact of Direct Experience on Evaluations of British and Chinese Societies, Professor Greg Philo, Glasgow University Media Group.
5. ‘Chinese Students in a UK Business School: Hearing the Student Voice in Reflective Teaching and Learning Practice’, Dr Yvonne Turner, University of Newcastle upon Tyne Business School, Higher Education Quarterly, 0951-5224, Volume 60, No. 1, January 2006, pp 27-51.
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