Work

Mobility against all odds: the experiences of Chinese international students in Portugal amid the COVID‐19 pandemic

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: The COVID‐19 pandemic significantly affected international student mobility. Chinese international students had to deal not only with challenges such as border closures and lockdowns but also with discrimination and stigmatisation. In this paper, we examine the decisions of Chinese students to engage in international mobility and their experiences in Portugal during the pandemic, relying on 23 in‐depth interviews with Chinese international students living in Portugal during the first year of the COVID‐19 pandemic (2020–2021). Our findings indicate that, although these students were concerned about the COVID‐19 pandemic and its risks, they tended to prioritise their academic endeavours, while their mobility plans did not appear to have been significantly affected by the pandemic. These findings provide new insights into how international students structure their mobility plans and make sense of their experiences of studying abroad during “unsettling events”.

Source: Population Space and Place

DOI: 10.1002/psp.2831

Authors: Thais França, Cosmin Nada, Christof Van Mol

Institutions: Iscte – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Centro de Investigação e Estudos de Sociologia, Tilburg University

Language: English

Topic: International Student and Expatriate Challenges

Subfield: Communication

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,520