From Periphery to Centre: The Road of Internationalization of Higher Education in China

by Mei Li

Overview

This book studies the multi-dimensional development and landscapes of the internationalization of China’s higher education throughout the past four decades, illustrating its trajectory from the periphery to the centre of the global higher education system.

Combining solid theoretical elucidation and rich empirical studies, the author systematically reviews the key relevant concepts and examines policies and practices of higher education internationalization in China based on rich data gathered from interviews and surveys on overseas Chinese scholars, academic returnees, and international students. With a focus on “internationalization at home” and “transnational academic mobility”, the book analyzes the core topics and phenomena of China’s internationalizing higher education, including Chinese students studying abroad, overseas academics returning to China, international students in China, Sino-foreign cooperative education, and internationalization of higher education in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Shanghai.

Seeking to offer valuable experience, reflections, and policy reference, this book will be of great value for researchers, policymakers, and university administrators interested in the internationalization of higher education and especially China’s successful cases.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032543833
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/27/2025
Pages:	260
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Mei Li is Professor of Higher Education at the Institute of Higher Education, Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, China. She specializes in internationalization of higher education, comparative and international higher education, and higher education policy in China.

Table of Contents

1. Moving from Periphery to Centre: China’s Higher Education Internationalization in the Era of Globalization 2. Theoretical Perspectives on International Academic Mobility 3. From Brain Drain to Brain Circulation: International Mobility of Chinese Students and Academics 4. From Luring Back to Taking Advantage of Talent: Overseas Academic Talent Policies and Their Implementation 5. From Returning to Taking Root: Institutional Environment and Patterns of Professional Development of Overseas Academic Returnees 6. From a Peripheral Player to a Major Hosting Country: Policies and Practices on International Students in China 7. From Expansion to Quality Enhancement: Sino-foreign Joint Venture Institutions and Programmes 8. A Comparative Study on Internationalization of Higher Education at International Asian Metropolitan Cities