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International Academic Mobility in Chinese Academia: Opportunities and Challenges
Author(s) -
Larbi Frank Okai,
Ashraf Muhammad Azeem
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international migration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.681
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1468-2435
pISSN - 0020-7985
DOI - 10.1111/imig.12662
Subject(s) - internationalization , academic mobility , mainland china , china , international education , beijing , context (archaeology) , higher education , political science , sociology , internationalization of higher education , mobilities , social science , international trade , business , law , geography , archaeology
International academic mobility is an important dimension of the internationalization of higher education institutions, which aims to enact practical changes in economies and societies. Although many studies have investigated the mobility of international students, the mobility of international academics has been less investigated, particularly in the context of mainland China. This qualitative study explores the experience of international academics in Chinese academia. The study is based on semi‐structured interviews with twenty‐six international academics from different countries, working at different universities in Beijing. Through a four‐stage systematic analysis, the study shows that international academics’ engagement with mobility in Chinese academia can be characterized by a combination of gains and losses. This article explores how international academics view Chinese academia as either resourceful or restrictive for their academic career. It then discusses the hidden narratives concerning the challenges that international academics face in relation to mobility.