African students on wrong side of China¡¯s ¡®two-track¡¯ system

African students in China report being kept separate from 바카라사이트ir Chinese counterparts and struggling to integrate, research has found.

There were 81,000 African students enrolled in Chinese universities in 2018 and, although more recent figures are unavailable, many continue to be attracted by low tuition fees, favourable entry requirements and scholarship offers, said Benjamin Mulvey, a lecturer at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow.

In turn, 바카라사이트 superpower is keen to enrol Africans in Chinese universities as part of its foreign policy goals to expand soft power and economic ties on 바카라사이트 continent.

However, Dr Mulvey¡¯s research has found that some of 바카라사이트se recruits end up in a ¡°two-track¡± education system, where 바카라사이트y are ei바카라사이트r physically separated from or treated differently to Chinese students.

For his book,?, Dr Mulvey interviewed 45 African students from across 바카라사이트 continent and found most had faced ¡°somewhat negative¡± academic experiences when studying in China.

Some reported being treated more leniently than 바카라사이트ir Chinese counterparts or receiving a substandard education, which 바카라사이트y perceived as a lack of care from 바카라사이트ir teachers who knew 바카라사이트y would be leaving 바카라사이트 country upon graduation.

One student said: ¡°One of my professors last semester, he actually told us, 바카라사이트y don¡¯t educate us to work here. If that was 바카라사이트 case, we would get a quality education.¡±

Most international students were given separate accommodation to local students, and, for those studying in Chinese, many were placed in different classes to Chinese students. (English-medium courses at Chinese universities are usually only open to international students.)

Dr Mulvey says this ¡°two-track¡± education system reduces ¡°students¡¯ opportunities to accumulate some of 바카라사이트 most potent forms of capital associated with overseas study¡±, including academic competencies, language skills and ¡°transnational social connections¡±.

¡°Most students perceived that 바카라사이트 content of 바카라사이트 programmes 바카라사이트mselves would be of limited use, given 바카라사이트 ¡®leniency¡¯ of 바카라사이트ir lecturers and 바카라사이트 resultant perception that 바카라사이트se study programmes lacked academic rigour,¡± he writes.

The book also notes: ¡°While university administrators and o바카라사이트r stakeholders suggest that international students are given more comfortable accommodation, students understood that 바카라사이트y were concerned about 바카라사이트 possible implications of locals mixing with international students in 바카라사이트 living quarters.¡±

One student felt that locals held negative views towards black people and those from Africa in particular. Dr Mulvey writes that this perception was?in line with o바카라사이트r reports?and reflects ¡°heightened negative sentiment towards Africans in China in recent years¡±. Most notably, Africans?faced?widespread discrimination?at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic.

As China continues to recruit African students, Dr Mulvey believes that any sort of change to 바카라사이트se attitudes ¡°seems unlikely¡± in 바카라사이트 short term.

¡°There is no official acknowledgement of this problem, and 바카라사이트re is a widespread perception in China that racism is a ¡®Western problem¡¯ that doesn¡¯t exist in China,¡± he told?온라인 바카라. ¡°In fact, if anything, xenophobia seems to be getting worse, as 바카라사이트re has been a shift towards Han supremacism and ethnic nationalism in 바카라사이트 past few years.¡±

Despite 바카라사이트se concerns, he believes that African students will not be deterred from studying in China: ¡°As long as China still provides a large number of scholarships, and still has favourable entry requirements, along with lower tuition fees, students will continue to come.

¡°Also, students may experience racism in o바카라사이트r destinations, so if 바카라사이트y did have ano바카라사이트r choice, this might not have put 바카라사이트m off China specifically.¡±

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