Success strategies for international students in China

Abstract

The trend towards internationalisation in the Chinese higher education sector has necessitated a focus on developing teaching strategies that lead international students to success. The case study in this chapter investigates the perceptions and performances of a group of 72 international students in an undergraduate course of International Economy and Trade. We designed and implemented a series of teaching interventions in response to some of the major barriers that international students face. The analysis of a student survey (as well as learning records) indicates that our teaching design had a significant impact on the learning behaviour of the students. It further points to a formative effect on the learning style of the international cohort. The results of the study highlight the importance of an international perspective in teaching design for improving the retention and success of this type of student cohort in Chinese higher education.