Long-term Chinese students' transitional experiences in UK higher education: A particular focus on their academic adjustment

The global population of students pursuing studies abroad continues to grow, and consequently their intercultural experiences are receiving greater research attention. However, research into long-term student sojourners' academic development and personal growth is still in its infancy. A parallel mixed method study was designed to investigate the academic adjustment of international Chinese students who had studied in the UK for more than three years. Using interview data collected from both Chinese students and British teachers and questionnaire data collected from a wider sample of the Chinese students, the researcher examined the relationship between their academic, psychological, and social adjustment and provided a more holistic view of Chinese students' intercultural adaptation process. The results showed that the big challenge for the Chinese students during their early adjustment was to deal with the different perceptions of teaching and learning within their own culture and within the culture of their host country. Changes were found in their language ability, learning approaches, and sense of self over time. In particular, social support and their agency as a learner played an important role in their academic development.