Abstract
This article investigated the learning experiences of mainland Chinese students in master’s degree programmes in Hong Kong. Using a qualitative research approach, 20 mainland Chinese students in master’s degree programmes in a first-tier Hong Kong university were interviewed. It observed, first, that mainland Chinese students appreciate the teaching and learning approaches adopted in Hong Kong, but that they take some time to adapt. Thanks to heavy financial support from parents and parental expectations, they are pressed to adapt as soon as possible and get high marks in the one-year programmes in Hong Kong. Second, the mainland Chinese students’ previous experiences of participating in campus activities in mainland China and their instrumental views of learning restrict their involvement in informal learning through campus activities. Third, their limited interaction with local and foreign students constrains the development of their intercultural competence.
Highlights
Internationalization is perceived to be a major way to enhance the competitiveness and educational quality of higher education in Hong Kong
Based on the reviews of previous research, we investigate the learning experiences of mainland Chinese students studying master’s programmes in Hong Kong, mainly through the following three dimensions: (1) the formal teaching and learning experiences; (2) the informal experiences of campus life; and (3) the development of intercultural competence
With reference to our conceptual framework, which aims to investigate mainland Chinese students’ learning experiences in the formal teaching and learning process, and their informal learning through campus activities, as well as the development of their intercultural competence, this article is guided by three major research questions: 1. How do mainland Chinese students perceive their learning experiences through formal teaching and learning in our sample university?
Summary
Internationalization is perceived to be a major way to enhance the competitiveness and educational quality of higher education in Hong Kong. Hong Kong universities have been eager to admit non-local students in recent years. The manner in which Chinese students achieve (or fail to achieve) academic and social adaptation to other societies remains one of the most tension-ridden issues in higher education. This article investigates the learning journey of mainland Chinese students studying master’s degree programmes in Hong Kong by examining their formal teaching and learning experiences, their informal experiences of campus life, and the development of their intercultural competence. With reference to the above questions, we interviewed 20 mainland Chinese students in four master’s degree programmes in Hong Kong. The interviews helped to provide an in-depth understanding of their perceived learning experiences in master’s degree programmes in Hong Kong
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