Evaluating the Reference Value of UK-China Higher Education Collaboration: Implications for the Internationalization of Chinese Higher Education
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study explores the multifaceted experiences, perceptions, and challenges associated with Sino- UK cooperative education through a Bourdieuian and constructivist theoretical lens. Employing qualitative methodology, data were collected through 30 semi-structured interviews with educational leaders, teachers, and students across multiple Chinese universities, complemented by document analysis. Bourdieu's theory of cultural reproduction reveals how Western academic capital operates within Chinese educational fields, while constructivist principles illuminate cross-cultural knowledge construction processes. Findings demonstrate complex dynamics of cultural capital conversion, field restructuring, and hybrid knowledge construction. This paper contributes to transnational education theory by proposing a "Cross-Cultural Educational Capital Conversion Model" and provides practical frameworks for sustainable international cooperation. Results indicate that while UK-China collaborations offer significant benefits in global exposure and academic enhancement, they require careful navigation of power dynamics, cultural adaptation, and institutional alignment to realize their full potential.
Authors: Xuwei Zhang, Vincent Wee Eng Kim
Institutions: Universiti Tun Abdul Razak, Nanyang Institute of Management
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7128699191