Emerging destination mobility: Exploring African and Asian international students’ push-pull factors and motivations to study in China
International Journal of Educational Management
ISSN: 0951-354X
Article publication date: 15 October 2019
Issue publication date: 9 January 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the push-pull factors and motivations of African and Asian international students in Chinese universities.
Design/methodology/approach
Concurrent mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) design was used. The quantitative component included 537 Africans and Asians from five notable universities, while the qualitative aspect consisted of 30 participants in Wuhan and few other cities in China.
Findings
Findings revealed availability of scholarship opportunities, China’s flexibility (visa and program entry) and perception of better education quality as important push-pull factors. It also discovered several new pull factors, including citizens’ attitude and good report, development potential and hospitality and receptiveness, while career development and entertainment were found to be the most and least significant motivational factors, respectively. The study also found a significant relationship between push-pull factors and study abroad motivation (SAM) as well as cross-cultural differences between African and Asian students.
Research limitations/implications
Most of the participants were drawn from Wuhan city. Hence, the findings cannot be outrightly generalized to other contexts.
Practical implications
This research provides valuable knowledge for policy makers, higher education institutions, international students and other stakeholders in China to inform better student experience.
Originality/value
There was no study found that combines push-pull factors and SAM or comparatively investigates African and international students in China. Knowledge about sojourners push-pull factors and motivations, their relationship and cross-cultural differences is essential for evidence-based interventions.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Conflict of interest: the authors have no possible conflict of interest.
The authors received no monetary support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this paper.
Citation
Gbollie, C. and Gong, S. (2020), "Emerging destination mobility: Exploring African and Asian international students’ push-pull factors and motivations to study in China", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 34 No. 1, pp. 18-34. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-02-2019-0041
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited