One day conference on Transnational Higher Education and the China Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

1. A comparison of social experiences
between international PhD
students and local PhD students in
China
@JLMittelmeier
Dr Kate Yue Zhang (American University of Paris)
Dr Jenna Mittelmeier (University of Manchester)
Prof Divya Jindal-Snape (University of Dundee)
Prof Bart Rienties (Open University)

2. Half of doctoral
students were
found to experience
psychological
distress during their
studies
(Levecque, Anseel, De Beuckelaer,
Van der Heyden, & Gisle, 2017)
@JLMittelmeier

3. Social networks
frequently identified as
key supports for
doctoral students
(Sala-Bubaré & Castelló, 2017; Janta et al., 2014; Stubb
et al., 2011; Pyhältö, Vekkaila, & Keskinen, 2015)
@JLMittelmeier@JLMittelmeier

4. Project aims
RQ1: How do postgraduate students build social support networks with
peers?
RQ2: How do postgraduate students build social support networks with staff?
RQ3: What is the role of social networks outside of the university context in
supporting postgraduate students’ educational transitions?
@JLMittelmeier@JLMittelmeier

5. 1) Longitudinal
Reflective Diaries
(31 Participants)
2) Social Network
Analysis
(28 Participants)
3) Interviews
(21 Participants)
https://strideresearch.wordpress.com/
@JLMittelmeier
Blog Essays (17 Participants)

6. A comparison of social experiences
between international PhD
students and local PhD students in
China
@JLMittelmeier
Dr Kate Yue Zhang (American University of Paris)
Dr Jenna Mittelmeier (University of Manchester)
Prof Divya Jindal-Snape (University of Dundee)
Prof Bart Rienties (Open University)

7. Sample size: 8 international students, 8 Chinese students,
to be continued
Methodology: semi-structured interviews
Origins of International PhD students: mainly from Belt
and Road countries
-- Selective processes
-- Chinese government scholarship
-- Demographic profiles

8. Communication barriers between international and local Ph.D
students:
-- Segmentation of classes
-- Separate dormitory areas
-- Differing social and work patterns
-- Language barriers
-- Cultural differences

9. All Chinese local participants noted attending seminars organised by the
university and working with peers to discuss their work.
In contrast, the international students expressed their frustration as these
events were usually only in Chinese language.
Support groups tended to be self-organised among small groups of doctoral
students at their own volition. For the Chinese participants, this was almost
exclusively with students who had the same supervisor.
I organized a small workshop in methodology and invited a few postgraduate
students who have the same supervisor as me.
(Interviewee 1, male, domestic Chinese citizen)

10. The international student participants tended to more frequently spend time
with peers from the same country or region, regardless of who their supervisor
was.
Some Pakistani PhD students arrange a session of research for discussion about
new ideas, trends, tools, methods, software’s [sic] and techniques on a daily
basis.
So, mostly Pakistani students and some other's [sic] nationality students
participate in this session to engage and communicate socially with each other.
(Interviewee 2, male, international student)

11. We have our community of people from my own country. It is a mixed blessing.
It is good to be in that community, but you don’t come out of your comfort
zone…
I hope they could organize different activities with Chinese students. If it would
be a mix of Chinese and international students, we could meet more Chinese
students.
(Interviewee 3, male, international student)
If you see a person from your own country, with the same language, it feels
much easier. I speak little Chinese; I like meeting new people and language is
something you definitely need for communication.
(Interviewee 4, male, international students)

12. A comparison of social experiences
between international PhD
students and local PhD students in
China
@JLMittelmeier
Dr Kate Yue Zhang (American University of Paris)
Dr Jenna Mittelmeier (University of Manchester)
Prof Divya Jindal-Snape (University of Dundee)
Prof Bart Rienties (Open University)