International and transnational education for whose interests? A study on the career development of Chinese students

Abstract

A significant increase in internationally mobile students has been observed in the past decades. With the strong intention of enhancing their competitiveness in the global labour market, a growing number of students have embarked on their learning journeys through studying abroad or enrolling in transnational Higher Education programmes. These students expect the international learning experience will enhance their future job prospects and career advancement. However, whether or not this learning experience enables students to secure promising positions in the global labour market and make their investments in Higher Education worthwhile remains debatable. Drawing on both student surveys and in‐depth interviews, this study explores how international or transnational Higher Education affects job prospects and career development, with particular reference to the perspective of employable skills and contextual influences. The respondents of the present research rate their learning experiences highly for hard knowledge, soft skills and cross‐cultural understanding. The majority of respondents suggest that the international and transnational learning experience will positively contribute to their career development. Such findings are supported by similar studies related to the job prospects of returning Chinese students after studying overseas. This article contributes to a better understanding of how students assess their studying abroad affected their personal development, job prospects and career development.

Two decades of international branch campus development, 2000–2020: a review

“…A survey by Mok et al (2018) of Chinese IBC graduates found that the majority of the students perceived that a transnational education had facilitated their career development, and at one IBC, 94% of graduates were in employment within six months of graduation. In a similar survey of IBC students conducted in Malaysia, the students perceived substantial enhancement of their employability skills, particularly the ability to work independently, Two decades of IBC development, 2000-2020 command of English, adaptability, subject knowledge and expertise, team working skills and analytical/problem-solving skills (Belderbos, 2019).…”

Student engagement and perceived gains in transnational education in Ghana

“…The advantages of TNE include providing students with high-quality educational experiences, development of students' critical thinking abilities and intercultural skills, engagement with rich and diversified content and students' understanding of international business environment (Smith, 2010). Prior research has shown that career development, acquiring hard knowledge, development of soft skills and the development of cross-cultural understanding represent some of the experiences that Source(s): Graduate School, GTUC students gather through TNE (Mok et al, 2018). Correspondingly, reports of positive students' feedback on their academic and support services satisfaction are likely to increase the participation rates of students in TNE (Nnazor, 2018).…”

Australian transnational vocational education and training provisions: sustainability, quality, and relevance

“…While transnational education promises an expansion of opportunities for governments and individuals to access education, concerns about the relevance and quality of it have led many to criticise and question its sustainability. The literature indicates three main concerns with it as: (a) a form of Western academic imperialism (Abbott, 2017;Tikly, 2013), (b) a form of "academic capitalism" (McBurnie & Ziguras, 2009;Tikly, 2013), and (c) a contributor to global inequality (Altbach, 2013;Little, 2000;McGrath, 2002;Mok, Han, Jiang & Zhang, 2018). Underlining these concerns is the conviction that transnational education involves the uncritical transfer of educational policy from the Western world to the developing world for economic and political reasons (Abbott, 2017;Tikly & Barrett, 2011;McGrath, 2002).…”