Call for Papers: Standing Section “Moving Forward in Uncertainty: Challenges and Future Pathways for the Internationalization of Chinese Higher Education”

2026-09-29

Education and Lifelong Development Research is pleased to announce the establishment of a new standing section titled “Moving Forward in Uncertainty: Challenges and Future Pathways for the Internationalization of Chinese Higher Education.”

In recent years, the internationalization of higher education has faced an increasingly complex and uncertain global environment. Slowing global economic growth, rising geopolitical tensions, and shifting patterns of international talent mobility and academic collaboration have significantly influenced the development of higher education internationalization worldwide. In particular, evolving China–US relations have presented new challenges to bilateral cooperation in areas such as international research collaboration, academic exchanges, student mobility, and transnational education. Meanwhile, Chinese higher education has made remarkable progress over the past decades, with its global academic visibility, research capacity, and international engagement continuing to expand. An increasing number of Chinese universities have gained recognition among the world’s leading higher education institutions. Against this changing global landscape, how Chinese higher education responds to external uncertainties, adjusts its internationalization strategies, and develops more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable pathways has become an important area for scholarly inquiry.

This standing section aims to systematically investigate the current developments, major challenges, strategic responses, and future directions of Chinese higher education internationalization in an era of global uncertainty. Particular attention is given to how intersecting global, national, and local dynamics shape internationalization policies, institutional strategies, and educational practices. The section seeks to establish a platform for international scholarly dialogue by bringing together diverse theoretical perspectives, comparative research, and empirical investigations. We particularly encourage submissions that move beyond descriptive accounts of individual cases to offer critical reflections, comparative insights, or meaningful theoretical contributions. Our goal is to advance scholarly understanding of the complexities and global implications of Chinese higher education internationalization while providing valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and educational practitioners.

We cordially invite scholars worldwide to submit original research manuscripts that critically examine, systematically document, or offer theoretical reflections on themes including, but not limited to:

  • Theoretical Construction and Critical Reflections: How can the concepts, theoretical foundations, and objectives of higher education internationalization be reconsidered in an era of increasing global uncertainty? To what extent are existing theoretical perspectives applicable to the Chinese context, and what are their limitations? How are the conceptual understandings and practical approaches to internationalization at home and internationalization abroad evolving? What insights can Chinese experiences offer for advancing theoretical debates and developing new perspectives on higher education internationalization?

  • International Comparisons and Development Models: How do different countries and regions respond to challenges arising from geopolitical tensions, restrictions on international academic collaboration, and changing patterns of global talent mobility? What distinctive strategies, policy approaches, and institutional practices characterize the internationalization of Chinese higher education? How can cross-national, cross-regional, and cross-institutional comparisons contribute to a deeper understanding of China’s internationalization pathways and its evolving position within the global higher education landscape?

  • Policy Practices and In-depth Case Studies: How do Chinese higher education institutions navigate changing international environments through different internationalization strategies and practices? We welcome in-depth investigations of representative cases, including but not limited to Sino-foreign cooperative education, transnational education, the internationalization of vocational education, international research collaboration, international student mobility, and internationalization at home. Contributions may examine the implementation, outcomes, and challenges of particular policies or institutional initiatives, drawing out their implications for future internationalization practices.

  • Future Challenges and Emerging Trends: What new opportunities and challenges will Chinese higher education internationalization face amid geopolitical uncertainties, financial constraints, quality assurance concerns, sustainability pressures, and changing patterns of global higher education competition? How might digital transformation and emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, reshape international teaching and learning, academic collaboration, and transnational education? What strategies can Chinese higher education institutions adopt to strengthen their resilience and develop more open, inclusive, and sustainable approaches to internationalization in an evolving global environment?

Submissions should clearly indicate “The Internationalization of Chinese Higher Education Standing Section” in the header of the first page. We look forward to receiving scholarly contributions from diverse national, institutional, and disciplinary contexts, fostering critical dialogue on the changing landscape of Chinese higher education internationalization and collectively advancing our understanding of its challenges, emerging pathways, and implications for the future of global higher education.

Special Issue Information

This standing section will publish a special issue in December 2026. The submission deadline is June 1, 2026. The Guest Editor is Dr. Xiaoqing Wang, Associate Professor at the School of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST).

Dr. Xiaoqing Wang holds a Ph.D. in Education from Peking University (2019) . His research interests include international higher education, Sino-foreign cooperative education, critical thinking teaching for university students, and educational policy. He is the author of Developing Intercultural Competence ‘at Home’: Domestic Students’ Experiences in Chinese Universities (2024, first author, Routledge) and The Impact Mechanism of the Chinese College Student Learning Assessment Project (2022, sole author), among other works. He has published over 30 papers in leading journals such as International Journal of Intercultural Relations (SSCI, Q1) and Journal of Studies in International Education (SSCI, Q1).
Email: wangxiaoqing@hust.edu.cn
Full profile: https://jky.hust.edu.cn/info/1113/3881.htm

Manuscripts for the special issue should be submitted by June 1, 2026, and should clearly indicate “Special Issue: Internationalization of Chinese Higher Education” in the header of the first page.

January 1, 2026