International and transnational learning in higher education : a study of students’ career development in China

Realizing the importance of enhancing the educational standard of its citizens, the Chinese government has encouraged not only local universities to actively seek collaboration with overseas partners but also attracted leading universities to engage with local universities either to offer transnational higher education programmes or set up branch campuses in the country. In the last two decades, we have witnessed a steady increase of students from the mainland enrolled in different kinds of transnational higher education programmes or going overseas for studies. Based upon a pilot study recently conducted in China, this paper examines graduate employment and career development for those successfully completed their university education either through overseas learning or enrollment in transnational higher education programmes offered in the mainland. The findings of the present research will form a solid basis for the implementation of the planned research of “UK International Students and Graduates from East Asia”, one of the research programmes of the Centre for Global Higher Education.