The surging number of Chinese attending US colleges provides abundant opportunities for all

Since 2008 the number of Chinese mainland students heading to the US for college has more than doubled. According to figures reported by the Institute of International Studies, 26,275 undergraduates from the Chinese mainland were attending US colleges in 2008-09. This figure more than doubled to 56,976 in 2010-11. Mainland students made up 20 percent of all international undergraduate students enrolled on US campuses in 2010-11.

What is causing the surge in mainland students leaving home for undergraduate studies abroad? The most significant contributing factor is the rise in incomes among the middle class. In the past, only those who were extremely well off could afford to send their children overseas. However, in recent years it has not been unusual for a middle-income family to take out a loan to pay for their child's college education abroad.

Within the Chinese family, a child's education is a tri-generational affair. Six adults (two sets of grandparents and two parents) would do anything they could to pay for their child's or grandchild's education. But, financial ability aside, many Chinese students are also trying to avoid the national college entrance exam, known as gaokao, because of the stress and intense study required to prepare for it. Many of those who can afford to avoid this exam are choosing to do so by applying to US colleges.

In addition, parents are considering the long-term benefits of having US college degrees. As Chinese companies become more internationalized, jobs require a higher degree of proficiency in English, cross-cultural awareness and soft skills. Compared with Chinese universities, US universities in general place greater emphasis on soft skills, such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving. Having a US college degree also elevates one's social status, which means access to the upper-class social network. This in turn raises one's economic value in the job market where social ties (guanxi) are paramount to career success.

Yet, what does the influx of Chinese students mean for US colleges, and how should the colleges respond?

It is obvious that US colleges need to provide academic support, social-emotional support, and cultural support for Chinese students, particularly first-year ones. Most campuses with high numbers of Chinese students do have extensive support services in place. Examples include ESL classes, writing workshops, counselors and advisers for international students, and Chinese student associations where students can offer peer support. Some universities have also collaborated with non-profit organizations to provide social support for Chinese students.

Such community collaboration is a good cost-cutting mechanism in the face of institutional budget constraints. I have heard of cases in which senior citizens volunteered to drive newly arrived Chinese students to local grocery stores. In return, the Chinese students helped the senior citizens with domestic chores. Both parties seemed to benefit from the experience.

Besides helping Chinese students assimilate into US culture, US colleges can also help US students assimilate into the international landscape. When international students arrive on US campuses they create an invaluable cultural learning opportunity for all. US colleges need to create transnational cross-cultural platforms (not just US-style cross-cultural dialogues) in which students from around the world, including Chinese mainland students and US students, can interact with one another on a truly global plane, not just a US one.

There are not very many countries where such opportunities exist on campuses. Given the many international students on US campuses, these campuses should seize the opportunity to create transnational cross-cultural learning platforms. However, this would require a re-examination of the learning culture, instructional style and campus dialogues.

US students need to learn to reflect on cross-cultural differences on a more global scale, thereby learning the strengths of the cultures in other nations, while teaching others the strengths within their own. For example, Chinese students tend not to speak up in class. This is viewed as a weakness in US classrooms. It is natural for instructors and US peers to encourage and teach a Chinese student to speak up. This is a definite gain for Chinese students when they immerse themselves in the US learning environment. When Chinese students attend US colleges they learn to express themselves with greater confidence; they learn to speak up and voice their opinions. They acquire the art of self-expression and public presentation, both of which are highly valued in the corporate world.

However, US students also need to reflect on the underlying reason why Chinese students tend not to speak up in class. This has to do with a Chinese cultural asset: respect for others. In Chinese culture, respect for others is valued above expressing one's opinion, and respect is usually shown by such actions as listening to what the other person has to say and refraining from airing one's own opinion. Thus, Chinese students tend to listen to their instructors and tend not to argue with them. This concept may be difficult for US students to understand, but there is some profound wisdom in this Eastern virtue. This virtue may smoothen US students' transition from campus life to their first job, where respecting their bosses would go a long way in their career advancement.

Having spent half my life in Asia and the other half in the US, I have slowly come to appreciate both the US strength of self-expression and the Eastern strength of gracious restraint.

In creating a truly transnational cross-cultural learning platform, US colleges should also re-examine how critical thinking is taught. The reason US style critical thinking has not taken root in the East (China, South Korea, Japan) has, in my opinion, much to do with the cultural mismatch in how critical thinking is taught in the US and the general philosophy behind Eastern culture. In the East, harmony is highly regarded, and this is similar to the virtue of respecting others. Thus, critical thinking taught through argumentative dialogues and argumentative writing do not sit well with the Eastern culture.

A truly transnational cross-cultural learning platform would integrate the cultural assets of other nations. Can we teach critical thinking on US campuses in some other (culturally respectful) way? This question calls for an answer. The influx of Chinese students on US campuses provides a good opportunity for such soul-searching and change within the US learning culture.

If US campuses can seize this opportunity to build a truly transnational learning culture and allow strong international friendships to form among young people from different nations, particularly between Chinese students and US students, such an achievement would go a long way.

The author is the founder of a consulting company in Beijing. She was formerly an associate professor at The University of Hong Kong. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

(China Daily 07/06/2012 page9)