As the world is becoming a more connected and interdependent place, a fast growing literature has examined the effects of foreign experiences on cognitive and psychological outcomes. The current research seeks to explore the relationship between living abroad and intellectual humility. To this end, we conducted four methodologically diverse…

This study investigated the L2 motivation of five Chinese undergraduates learning Bulgarian as their major and studying in Bulgaria in a one-academic-year exchange programme. The focus of the study concerned a rarely explored L2 learning situation, namely when the L2 is associated with a host community of limited ethnolinguistic vitality. Based on…

Research finds that going far from home has many positive psychological outcomes such as enhanced creative thinking, and research on creativity reveals that nonconformity can be a useful tool to stimulate innovation. Merging these findings, we theorise that foreign experiences increase nonconformist attitudes and behaviours. In Studies 1 and 2,…

Chinese students are coming to study in the United States in record numbers, but our understanding as to why is limited. Through interviews conducted with Chinese students who have studied in both China and the United States, we examine why students are making the choice to come to the United States, what they hope to learn, and how they are…

Situated within the changing dynamics of international student mobility, this paper explores the meaning of transnational in-between identity. The empirical evidence is based on the key findings of a four-year qualitative study on Chinese students who returned from the UK after completing their university degrees. The paper argues that…

In this study, we explored the notions of cultural learning from non-western perspectives by focusing on the experiences of Chinese undergraduate students from the field of Public Health in the United States of America. We used Weick's (1995) Sensemaking theory to understand how Chinese undergraduate students made sense of their experiences of…

This paper seeks to explore the aspects related to education and aspiration through the on-going experiences of Female Malay Muslim students in UK higher institutions. Building on an ethnographic approach, an in-depth interview with 30 female Malay students, I focus on the various aspects of the students' lives as scholarship holders, addressing…

This study addresses a gap in the study-abroad literature, examining both student and host family experiences of two-way cultural transmission. Interviews, participant observation and reflective journals revealed both parties sought authentic cultural experiences, but implicit forms of cultural transmission in homestay rendered preconceived…

Given the critical dynamics between students' national identity and study abroad experiences, this study explores the meanings Chinese international students in the US make of national identity within the context of China's rise on the world stage. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 23 Chinese undergraduate students studying at a US research…

Student mobility across national borders has been increasing at an extraordinary pace. Correspondingly, much research has been conducted into issues concerning learners that move internationally to pursue learning in a culturally different country. To a great extent, vigorous debate and research did promote cross-cultural diversity, understanding…

Recent studies indicate that the academic and social integration of overseas students in the destination country often plays a major role in their academic performance, employability outcomes and integration into the wider community. This study investigates these issues in more depth from the perspective of overseas Chinese in the Southwest UK,…

Studying abroad is attractive for increasing numbers of Chinese students. The United States belongs among the favorite destinations for Chinese students seeking to obtain a university degree. In past years, China was the number one country of origin of all foreign students enrolled in U.S. tertiary education institutions. This study is aimed at…

The study looked into three Chinese MBA students' discursive language and cultural behavior in an American study abroad (SA) program. It intended to unveil the complex social and individual factors shaping the students' second language (L2) and cultural learning. The key notions of identity and investment were employed to interpret the three MBA…

This narrative-based qualitative research investigated the distinct journeys of eight cross-cultural artists (four artists from South Korea and four artists from China). Utilizing a variety of theoretical frameworks surrounding cross-cultural research, this dissertation examined current discussions on cross-cultural challenges and their…

Study-abroad programs tend to assume that their destinations are culturally and linguistically homogenous. However, Western English-speaking destinations, particularly metropolitan cities, have become increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse. Considering such sociolinguistic changes in these destinations, this research examines how…