The COVID-19 pandemic: The watershed moment for student mobility in Chinese universities?

Abstract

As COVID-19 drastically affects cross-border mobility, virtual mobility emerges as a viable alternative to cope with the crisis. This article reports on the integrated findings of an exploratory sequential mixed methods design to understand benefits and challenges of virtual mobility at a Chinese university and future projection of outbound student mobility. The mixed methods design used in this study is characterized by an initial quantitative phase of data collection and analysis, followed by a phase of qualitative data collection and analysis, with a final phase of integration or linking of data from the two separate strands of data. The study suggests Chinese students appreciate the flexibility and economic advantages of virtual mobility but also express concerns on several limitations. Online mobility may be viewed as a complement or alternative for Chinese institutions when the COVID-19 crisis is over. As Chinese universities are promoting internationalization at home, the number of virtual programmes available to Chinese students will surge. In this context, coupled with the stress of geopolitical instability, the growth in Chinese student mobility may be entering a period of contraction, which may exert profound impacts on a global scale.