Cultivating global minds: the development of undergraduates’ international capabilities at an elite university in China’s Yangtze River Delta

Lingqin Zeng, Xiujuan Sun, Hantian Wu () and Chen Ding
Additional contact information
Lingqin Zeng: Zhejiang University
Xiujuan Sun: Xiamen University
Hantian Wu: Zhejiang University
Chen Ding: Zhejiang University

Palgrave Communications, 2025, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract This study employs a mixed-methods approach to investigate the development of undergraduate students’ international capabilities at a prestigious Chinese university in the Yangtze River Delta. Drawing on survey data from 335 undergraduate students and interviews with both students and faculty members, the study examines the impact of multiple institutional and individual factors on students’ self-perceived development in international capability (IC) in relation to their participation in the formal curriculum implemented as part of the university’s internationalization at home (IaH) initiatives. Quantitative findings highlight that institutional resources and quality assurance, as well as students’ engagement attitudes and individual internationalisation experience, significantly influence IC growth. Additionally, structural equation modelling elucidates the mediating role of personal internationalisation experiences on engagement attitudes. Qualitative findings uncover key challenges, including disparities in English language proficiency, limited cultural diversity in classrooms, and insufficient institutional support. These findings underscore the need for systematic and well-coordinated IaH at the institutional level to cultivate a globally and nationally competent workforce, particularly in global South contexts.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-025-05599-w Abstract (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:palcom:v:12:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-025-05599-w

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/palcomms/about

DOI: 10.1057/s41599-025-05599-w

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Palgrave Communications from Palgrave Macmillan
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().