Chinese Returnees from Overseas Study: An Understanding of Brain Gain and Brain Circulation in the Age of Globalization

Abstract

Among discussions on international academic mobility, a persistent challenge is to understand whether education abroad can become a source of brain gain, and whether globalization can offer source countries the hope that they might enjoy the benefits of freer cross-border flows in information and personnel. With reference to China, this article provides an understanding of these two issues. It reveals practical factors affecting returnees' decision to return, their contribution to specific areas, and obstacles that limit their contribution and career opportunities. In addition, it sheds light on an emerging brain circulation between China and foreign countries, along with the increased cross-border flow of academic talent from and into China.

Chinese returnees’ motivation, post-return status and impact of return: A systematic review

“…A high-pressured environment, high self-expectation and post-return adaptation are significant sources of stress (Chen, 2014; Gill, 2010). Ma and Pan (2015) studied a case in which a young Harvard returnee jumped to his death due to severe depression. The authors attributed the tragedy to the difficulties of adapting to guanxi , professional and financial insecurity and the high expectations of returnees.…”

“…Finally, though existing studies cover a wide range of topics, several issues call for further research. The medium- and long-term experiences of returnees need to be examined to determine their needs, particularly those relating to employment and psychosocial adjustment (Ma and Pan, 2015). The pressure on returnees might foster depression.…”

Homeland Integration

“…Recently, some scholars have analyzed Chinese students’ complicated identity negotiations and construction in host spaces before they return to their homeland (Ai, 2015a; Cheung & Xu, 2015). Others have focused on the reintegration and adaptation of returnees when returning home (Chang, 2010; Chiang & Liao, 2008; Erdal & Ezzati, 2014; Kartoshkina, 2015; Ma & Pan, 2015). For instance, an investigation into the experiences of Chinese mothers interacting with their children who returned after several years of studying abroad found that Chinese mothers were uncertain about how to understand and interact with their culturally transformed children; therefore, the author suggests that more open and direct communication may be conducive to resolving relational conflicts during reentry and aiding reintegration (Chang, 2010).…”

The trifecta for curriculum sustainability in Australian universities

“…Without quality curricula and good reputation, international students would not come to Australia only for the sake of gaining a certification of tertiary education with a lower cost. There is a growing trend that more Asian students who graduated from Australian universities have returned to their origin to seek more opportunities as a result of the rapid economic development in their home country since the late 2000s [24][25][26]. Therefore, it is vital for universities to maintain and create high quality programs for a sustainable future during a time of intense competition in the recruitment of international students, particularly Asian students [3,7,8,10,23].…”