(Self)Confidence or compliance: Students' experience of academic quality in study-abroad contexts

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 37-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten Jæger ◽  
Malene Gram

This article investigates the views of quality in higher education held by two groups of international students: Chinese students at a Danish university and Danish students at Chinese universities. Given that there are no agreed international 'quality standards' in higher education, we analysed the students' understanding of the 'quality values' of their host institution and their own preferences and priorities. Representatives of the two groups participated in an interview study addressing the experience of academic quality at their study-abroad university. An intriguing trend was identified in the data. Danish students felt confident that they themselves were able to judge the academic quality of programmes, classes and lecturers both at home and abroad. The participating Chinese students tended to express themselves in slightly depreciatory terms regarding the academic quality values of their home universities. Regarding research methods and theoretical knowledge, they adopted the quality values of the Danish host university and referred to these values when evaluating their home universities.

Author(s):  
Genshu Lu ◽  
Mei Tian ◽  
Man Hong Lai

This questionnaire study, involving 4,903 final year undergraduate students in China, investigated Chinese students' intention to seek foreign postgraduate education. Drawing on college choice models and “push-pull” models, this research presented a comprehensive model to explain Chinese college students' choices of foreign education. Logistic regression analysis showed that personal academic performance, foreign language proficiency, family socio-economic status, institutional factors, and quality of foreign education had significant impact on the intention to study abroad. The students' outward mobility was also driven by their dissatisfaction with domestic postgraduate education. The participants' perception of the academic quality of postgraduate education in the USA was the most positive, followed respectively by the UK, Hong Kong, and Australia. Theoretically, the research indicated that it was the “push-pull” pairs, as exemplified by dissatisfaction with domestic postgraduate education and perceived positive images of foreign postgraduate education, that led to Chinese students' decision to study abroad and their selection of specific study destinations. This study has implications for recruitment and retention of Chinese students in higher education institutions both in and outside China.


2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Saiful

One of the issues that relates to Indonesian international students’ perceptions about the quality of higher education is with regards to the difficulties and problems they face while studying in an Australian university. A survey was conducted with 78 First Year to Fourth Year Indonesian international undergraduate students undergoing a range of programs and courses at a university in Australia to determine their perspective of quality in higher education. Further interviews were carried out with nine Indonesian international students to gain insights into their difficulties and learning experiences. Based on these interviews, the three main difficulties highlighted by Indonesianinternational students are: different learning styles, cultural barriers and language problems. This paper seeks to highlight the initial problems faced by Indonesian international students in terms of learning styles and how they strive to overcome these difficulties through discussions and practice. These findings present implications for the use of appropriate teaching strategies with Indonesian international students.


Author(s):  
Genshu Lu ◽  
Mei Tian ◽  
Man Hong Lai

This questionnaire study, involving 4,903 final year undergraduate students in China, investigated Chinese students' intention to seek foreign postgraduate education. Drawing on college choice models and “push-pull” models, this research presented a comprehensive model to explain Chinese college students' choices of foreign education. Logistic regression analysis showed that personal academic performance, foreign language proficiency, family socio-economic status, institutional factors, and quality of foreign education had significant impact on the intention to study abroad. The students' outward mobility was also driven by their dissatisfaction with domestic postgraduate education. The participants' perception of the academic quality of postgraduate education in the USA was the most positive, followed respectively by the UK, Hong Kong, and Australia. Theoretically, the research indicated that it was the “push-pull” pairs, as exemplified by dissatisfaction with domestic postgraduate education and perceived positive images of foreign postgraduate education, that led to Chinese students' decision to study abroad and their selection of specific study destinations. This study has implications for recruitment and retention of Chinese students in higher education institutions both in and outside China.


2020 ◽  
pp. 421-434
Author(s):  
Rui Diao

Diao Rui, Factors for Chinese Students Choosing Poland Higher Education [Czynniki skłaniające chińskich studentów do wyboru polskiego szkolnictwa wyższego]. Studia Edukacyjne nr 56, 2020, Poznań 2020, pp. 421-434. Adam Mickiewicz University Press. ISSN 1233-6688. DOI: 10.14746/se.2020.56.23As the world’s second largest economy, China has attracted extensive attention from the rest of the world in various aspects. Education, as a way to export talent, has always been valued by the world. Although China’s education industry is growing, many Chinese students still choose to study abroad. China is one of the world’s leading exporters of international students. Poland, located in Europe, has a clean educational environment, advanced European knowledge and unique cultural charm. In recent years, Sino-Polish relations have grown so close that studying in Poland will be a good choice for Chinese students. This article mainly introduces the admission of Chinese elite universities and the study and life of Chinese students in Poland.


2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 1278-1292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huong Le ◽  
Jade McKay

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the voice of Chinese and Vietnamese international students through studying the similarities and differences in their learning experiences and the reasons underlying their experience. Design/methodology/approach In total, 57 Chinese and Vietnamese international students participated in focus groups and interviews regarding their experiences of higher education and their suggestions for improvement. Findings The findings show that Chinese and Vietnamese students had varying levels of challenges and different progress in the adaptation process and that Chinese students were more vocal and less satisfied with their experience of higher education than Vietnamese students. This is due to the mismatch in their expectation and the actual experience and the cultural influence. Research limitations/implications The sample size is relatively small. This study only looked at Vietnamese and Chinese students in one university, which might have limitations in relation to subjectivity and bias. Practical implications The findings provide useful implications for educators, institutional leaders and support staff to improve facilities, teaching quality and service to students. Originality/value In the current era of internationalisation, commercialisation and mobility in institutions around the world, this study advances current research and provides timely insight into the experiential differences of the Chinese and Vietnamese student experience and their voice.


Author(s):  
Arménio Rego

Dois objetivos nortearam o presente estudo: a) mostrar como os diplomados com um curso superior se sentem influenciados por quatro comportamentos de cidadania (comportamento participativo, orientação prática, conscienciosidade e cortesia) de antigos professores, no que concerne a duas variáveis de impacto (motivação profissional e autoconfiança); b) estudar as concepções desses indivíduos acerca do significado da excelência docente universitária. Foram inquiridos 209 diplomados com curso superior, que foram convidados a descrever os comportamentos de um antigo professor à sua escolha. Os resultados mostram que: a) as quatro categorias comportamentais explicam 79%, 70% e 40% da variância, respectivamente, numa cotação global de desempenho docente atribuída pelos diplomados aos seus antigos professores, na motivação profissional dos mesmos, e na sua autoconfiança; b) os inquiridos consideram que os excelentes professores são os que se orientam fortemente para essas quatro categorias comportamentais. Palavras-chave: cidadania; professores universitários; motivação profissional; autoconfiança; qualidade no ensino superior. Abstract This study aims to show how the citizenship behaviors of university teachers (CBUT) relate with: a) the professional motivation and self-confidence of their students; b) a global performance score given by their students. Four CBUT dimensions were investigated: participatory behavior, practical orientation, conscientiousness and courtesy. A sample of 209 graduates, from several organizations and occupations, was collected. The main results are: a) the four CBUT dimensions explain 79% of the global performance score variance, 70% of the professional motivation variance, and 40% of the self-confidence variance; b) according to the graduates, the excellent teacher is the one who scores well on the four CBUT dimensions. Keywords: citizenship behaviors; university teachers; professional motivation; selfconfidence; quality in higher education.


Author(s):  
Magdalena Platis

Higher education institutions worldwide are evolving in a so-called quality assurance era in which quality standards are defined and implemented. Quality assurance has, in fact, two sides: one declarative, or formal, reflected into documents, proofs, and even statistics well prepared, and one practical, or informal, that behind all legal issues, the quality of processes is real. The contradiction between the two sides of the quality assurance contributes a false perception of quality and unethical institutional behavior. Higher education institutions can become ethical or more ethical through their people—management, academics, students, alumni, researchers. In other words, the culture of quality needs to be rebuilt towards trust. The objective of this chapter is to provide a clear insight to the contemporary state of higher education institutions' behavior and context to contribute to the building up of new quality management based on a trust in the area of education, research, and social development.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-103
Author(s):  
Rabah Noui

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how the policy of massification as a characteristic of the higher education system influences the quality of education? and what higher education model can the authors adopt to reconcile flow and quality?Design/methodology/approachThe methodology adopted is based on a questionnaire survey of a population of young graduates divided between graduates with a conventional license and LMD license, either in the process of preparing for a diploma or in unemployment or work. But also, the qualitative dimension which, although secondary in this survey, the authors mobilized it through the analysis of open questions relating to the perceptions and representations that young graduates have of their situations.FindingsThe higher education reforms are perceived differently by higher education actors. The results found show that university massification has had the opposite effect by training graduates doomed to unemployment and expatriation.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample for this study is very limited, the results of this finding cannot be generalized to the entire university student as a whole.Originality/valueThis study emphasizes the duality of flow and quality in higher education. The authors have shown the different perceptions of stakeholders in higher education and that despite the multiple reforms of this system the authors still cannot find the best model.


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