This Article Full Text (OnlineFirst PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Google Scholar Articles by Simpson, K. Articles by Tan, W. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

A Home Away From Home? Chinese Student Evaluations of an Overseas Study Experience

UNITEC Business School, Auckland, New Zealand

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: ksimpson{at}unitec.ac.nz.

	Abstract

As the education of international students has developed into a key component of the economic mix for many Western democracies, approaches to the evaluation of success or failure have become increasingly based on the type of buyer–seller relationship that features strongly in the management and marketing literature. As a result, an activity that has historically been assessed in terms of its contribution to the public good is now more likely to be measured through application of the language of business. This article analyzes the comments of 160 Chinese students attending courses at a New Zealand institution and suggests that the criteria that contribute to a positive experience evaluation, when viewed through the eyes of students, may not entirely coincide with the "business language" criteria that education providers believe to be critical. The article concludes that significant changes in institutional philosophy are necessary if the true value of providing tertiary education to international students is to be optimally realized.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?