Destination Choices of International Students in China: The Impacts of Environmental and Policy Factors

Wenli Li (), Zai Liang (), Bo Zhou () and Yifei Lu ()
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Wenli Li: Southwestern University of Finance and Economics
Zai Liang: University at Albany and Xi’an Jiaotong University
Bo Zhou: Guangzhou University
Yifei Lu: Southwestern University of Finance and Economics

Population Research and Policy Review, 2024, vol. 43, issue 5, No 6, 36 pages

Abstract: Abstract This study investigates the spatiotemporal distribution and the factors influencing recent spatial distribution trends of international students in China (ISSC) from 1999 to 2018. We analyze the ISSC response to environmental pollution and policy regulations using an OLS fixed effect model. ISSC is divided into four sub-groups: self-funded, degree-seeking, non-degree-seeking, and those under the Chinese government scholarship (ISSCG). Our findings reveal that the spatial distribution of the total ISSC, self-funded, and non-degree-seeking students has significantly expanded and continuously moved southward, with the spatial autocorrelation exhibiting patterns of initial concentration of destinations (namely universities attended by international students tend to be spatially close to each other), then dispersion, and re-concentration. In contrast, the ISSCG once greatly expanded before it slightly contracted and shifted westward and slightly moved eastward over the years. The most important contribution of our paper is to identify environmental pollution (such as high industrial wastewater discharge and PM2.5 levels) as a determinant in selecting ISSC destinations. We highlight findings that the worse the environmental pollution, the fewer international students are enrolled in universities in these locations. In addition, we also find that self-funded international students are significantly deterred by environmental pollution. Conversely, ISSCG’s choices are restricted by scholarship policies, diminishing their sensitivity to environmental pollution in destination decisions. We provide explanations for the differences in the decision-making process between ISSCG and self-funded students from the perspectives of the policies of the Ministry of Education in China and the economic development of international students’ home countries. Our findings shed light on the opportunities and challenges faced by China’s global education and contribute to theoretical insights into international migration issues and the environment.

Keywords: International students in China; Spatial distribution; Environmental pollution; Education policy; Human capital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s11113-024-09915-1

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