Acculturation and Academic Adjustment of Student Sojourners in the Chinese Higher Education Context

Abstract

The relationship between acculturation and academic adjustment has been under-investigated. A mixed longitudinal design was used in this article, with study 1 employing a questionnaire survey (N = 642) to explore student sojourners’ academic adjustment status and its predictors, and study 2 adopting qualitative approaches (reflective journal and interview) to track changes in acculturation strategies and adjustment experienced by a sample of 12 participants. Study 1 found that acculturation strategies (integration and marginalization) and social support (from family, Chinese friends, and teachers) were significantly associated with the academic adjustment of student sojourners in the Chinese higher education context. Integration was positively associated with academic adjustment, whereas marginalization was negatively associated. Study 2 revealed that student sojourners experienced changes in their acculturation strategies, students are suggested to embrace the integration strategy to sustain their academic journey in China. This study also provides implications for policymaking and education practices.

Exploring the academic adjustment of Pakistani students in second-tier Chinese cities

“…International students studying in a different socio-cultural context experience a unique cross-cultural academic adjustment process due to the disparities in teaching methods, language barriers, examinations, and the overall academic environment (Bastien, Seifen-Adkins, & Johnson, 2018;Berry et al, 2006;Mao et al, 2023).…”

“…China has become the third-largest destination for international students globally and the largest destination for international students in Asia after the policy of Belt and Road Initiative was issued in 2015 (Mao, Wang, & Ji, 2023;Tian, Lu, Yin, & Li, 2020). The total number of international students in China has increased 2.06 times from 2009 to 2018 (MOE China, 2018).…”