Chinese students now form a large proportion of international students in the universities of the English-speaking world. Competition between the 'inner-circle' English-speaking countries (Australia, Canada, the UK and USA) is fierce with all the major players expressing concern about the effectiveness of their recruitment efforts. Based on the experiences of a wide range of university teachers and administrators in the UK, this report explores issues in providing effective higher education for students from the People's Republic of China. The main findings are presented in two parts: pastoral issues and academic issues. The findings are contextualized with reference to discussion of related issues in the growing literature on international students, in general, and Chinese students, in particular. Pastoral issues Various pastoral concerns were identified, including the challenges of adjustment faced by students on arrival, the perceived isolation of Chinese students, and the anxieties of some students in relation to health care. Adjustment problems International students are often lonely, isolated and vulnerable; they are also confronted with different cultural conventions. In this situation, misunderstandings are common and the negotiation of relationships can be particularly challenging. Attempts by universities to provide emotional support are often piecemeal and uncoordinated. Some institutions operate 'family networks' where second year students are 'parents' and third year students 'grandparents'. 'Buddy' schemes are also relatively common. Religious groups both within and outside the university tend to be particularly proactive, meeting and greeting new students at the airport, sharing meals and special occasions. Friendship networks with students from a similar cultural background play an important role in adjustment to the new environment. Associations of Chinese students operate on most campuses, with more experienced students well placed to offer practical advice and support to newcomers. There is also an active UK China Students and Scholars Association. Perceived isolation of Chinese students In spite of a strong desire to take an active part in the university life, there is a natural tendency to seek out other Chinese students who have a better understanding both of students' previous experiences and of the challenges now facing them. In many cases, Chinese students seek to live alongside their compatriots. Cultural practices accentuate the differences; cooking and sharing meals, important leisure activities for Chinese, sometimes place them at odds with home students. Health Given that Chinese and Western medical traditions have developed in quite different ways, it is not surprising that there should be difficulties in meeting the expectations of Chinese students and misunderstandings between British health professionals and Chinese students. Focus group discussions indicated that health care is indeed a recurring problem for Chinese students. Various reasons for a reluctance to make use of the B...

This study aims to explore how Chinese overseas doctoral students adjust to a different academic, social and cultural environment, using Giddens' theoretical framework of self-identity (1991). The findings indicate the participants proactively used various coping strategies in meeting challenges, and adapting to new social environments. Continuity and stability of selfidentity were achieved either culturally or academically through self-reflexivity, autonomy, creativity, authenticity, and reliance on an ontological identity. The result is to challenge the grand narrative of essentialised "problematic Chinese learners".

The present study explores a topic which has been under-studied to date, namely the identity formation of Chinese PhD students in relation to study abroad. Underpinned by Giddens' (1991) "reflexive project of the self", which privileges agency and reflexivity, and using a narrative inquiry approach, it presents four students 'stories' collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions in the form of a trajectory of development from past to future. In building a picture of the ways in which students' self-identity is shaped by and shapes their experience of study abroad, the stories illustrate individual agency, motivation, selfdetermination and reflexivity. In doing so, they challenge the essentialised view of Chinese students as a homogeneous and sometimes problematic group and point to implications for action by the host institutions.

This article assesses the impact of a UK-based professional development programme on curriculum innovation and change in English Language Education (ELE) in Western China. Based on interviews, focus group discussions and observation of a total of 48 English teachers who had participated in an overseas professional development programme influenced by modern approaches to education and ELE, and 9 of their colleagues who had not taken part, it assesses the uptake of new approaches on teachers' return to China. Interviews with 10 senior managers provided supplementary data. Using Diffusion of Innovations Theory as the conceptual framework, we examine those aspects of the Chinese situation that are supportive of change and those that constrain innovation. We offer evidence of innovation in classroom practice on the part of returnees and 'reinvention' of the innovation to ensure a better fit with local needs. The key role of course participants as opinion leaders in the diffusion of new ideas is also explored. We conclude that the selective uptake of this innovation is under way and likely to be sustained against a background of continued curriculum reform in China.

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