Rethinking Internationalisation: A Study of Chinese Transnational Higher Education Beyond Westernisation

Internationalisation has been a central focus in Chinese higher education, driving policies to support collaboration with foreign institutions. Since the 1978 "Opening up and Reform" initiative and the 2003 CFCRS (Chinese - Foreign Cooperation in Running School) policy, Chinese universities have increasingly established transnational partnerships. However, like the broader concept of internationalisation, transnational universities are often criticised for being overly Westernised, relying heavily on Western knowledge and curricula. While this critique is important, focusing too much on Westernisation and cultural hegemony can prevent a deeper analysis of how internationalisation is experienced and embodied on transnational university campuses.

Since it is essential to recognise Western influence, but also to explore the lived impact of internationalisation. This study examines a specific university (referred to as X), founded through a partnership between a Chinese and UK university, to explore how internationalisation is expected, enacted, and constructed. Overall, this talk explores a lived example of internationalisation, examining how policy and practice interact with Westernisation and a neoliberal agenda on a single campus. The talk will focus on three key aspects: 1) X's neoliberal approach, prioritising English-medium instruction, which contradicts its goal of integration; 2) the challenges staff face with excessive emphasis on student-centred learning and English instruction, leading to mismatched expectations of internationalisation; and 3) how students perceive the benefits of student-centred learning as part of internationalisation, highlighting the overlooked "unintended benefits" beyond Westernisation.

Bowen Zhang [she/her/hers] joined the School of Education at Durham University as a Lecturer in 2024. Bowen teaches on a range of modules across the BA and MA Education Studies programmes. Prior to this, Bowen completed her PhD at Manchester Institute of Education at Institute of Education (MIE) of University of Manchester between 2019 and 2024, with thesis title being "Making the best out of internationalisation: A case study of transnational higher education in China". Bowen also completed MSc Educational Studies at University of Glasgow between 2017 and 2018, as well as BSc Honours Marketing at Newcastle University between 2014 and 2017.

Bowen's research research expertise focus broadly on the internationalisation of Chinese higher education. She is particularly interested in the epistemological exchange between Chinese and the Western universities through forming educational partnerships throughout the history. Her work takes a critical perspective on issues of symbolic construction of knowledge, power and priorities in international higher education.