Educating global Africans: possibilities of Chinese language learning in international higher education

The number of international students in Chinese higher education has expanded unprecedentedly over the past decade. As opposed to neoliberal marketisation, this expansion is backed up by a community of shared future for mankind rationale, which is well articulated within the policy rhetoric as well as keynote speeches by Chinese senior government officials. However, there is a paucity of research and theorisation into how Chinese universities may be contributing to this strategic priority in specific contexts. This article presents a case study that examines the aspirations of a cohort of African international students enrolled in a Chinese language programme in a vocational college in Southeast China. Their narratives highlight the previously neglected relevance of international higher education and Chinese language learning to the process of global citizenship education. The participants in this study displayed positive dispositions of global citizenship such as an in-depth understanding of the world, promoting harmony and contributing to the common good. As such, this article underscores the affordances and possibilities of Chinese language learning in international higher education, in addressing a torrent of mounting concerns of ‘China threat’ to the world order.

Wen XU