Education and Lifelong Development Research
Welcome to Education and Lifelong Development Research (Abbreviated title: "Educ. Lifelong Dev. Res."), which is an Open Access, peer-reviewed international scientific journal quarterly published by Yandy Scientific Press. Education and Lifelong Development Research (ELDER) publishes theoretical and practical papers on education, human development, and the interplay between these two aspects throughout the lifespan. The journal primarily accepts empirical papers while occasionally considering theoretical and review papers. These contributions present the latest research findings on educational innovation and psychological development, encompassing the following fields (but not limited to): i) Education policy, governance and sustainable development ii) Engineering education and educational psychology iii) Student development and mental health iv) Online education and lifelong learning v) Measurement and assessment in education and psychology vi) Application of information technology in education Vii) Student mobility and international Education Editor-in-Chief: Zhefeng An (Founder) Associate Editor: Youliang Zhang (Co-Founder), Kun Dai Journal information ISSN: 3006-9599 eISSN: 3006-9602 Peer Review Integrity All submissions undergo rigorous editorial screening. Those selected proceed to anonymous expert peer review. We employ a double-blind system to ensure fair evaluation.
Why Mainland? Decoding the Motivational Shifts in Hong Kong Secondary 6 Students’ University Choices
The mobility landscape of Hong Kong Secondary 6 (S6) students pursuing tertiary education outside Hong Kong has evolved, as revealed in the 2022 Secondary 6 (S6) Students’ Pathway Survey conducted by the Hong Kong Education Bureau. In the academic year 2022-2023, up to 39.0% of Hong Kong Secondary 6 (S6) students opted to pursue tertiary education in mainland China. This study decodes the factors influencing Hong Kong Secondary 6 students’ university choices through mixed research methodology based on the theoretical framework of the push-pull model. Although previous studies have examined this mobility trend from a macro perspective (e.g., geopolitical factors), few have explored the shifts in students’ individual perceptions and motivations. To bridge the research gap, this study aims to explore in depth individual students’ perspectives. The significance of this study lies in enhancing the appeal of Mainland universities among student mobility patterns, as well as aggregating a cadre of talents within the political framework of “One Country, Two Systems” to nurture regional socioeconomic development. Moreover, this study substantially contributes to mapping out innovative talent retention strategies and promoting the development of regional educational dynamics through its broader implications. Document Type: Original article Cited as: Wang, Y. (2025). Why mainland? Decoding the motivational shifts in Hong Kong Secondary 6 students’ university choices. Education and Lifelong Development Research, 2(3), 101-113. https://doi.org/10.46690/elder.2025.03.01 References Altbach, P. (1998). Comparative higher education: Knowledge, the university, and development. Comparative Education Research Centre, The University of Hong Kong. Altbach, P. G., & Knight, J. (2007). 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Triangulation: A case for methodological evaluation and combination. Sociological Methods, 339-357. Education Bureau. (2025, April). Figures and statistics. Gao, F. (2024). ‘I am not what you label me’: Senses of belonging in a mainland Chinese university among cross‐border Hong Kong students. British Educational Research Journal, 50(4), 2001-2019. Guan, L., Mok, K. H. J., & Yu, B. (2023). Pull factors in choosing a higher education study abroad destination after the massive global immobility: A re-examination from Chinese perspectives. Cogent Education, 10(1), 2199625. Helen. (2019, February). China education modernization 2035 released, deploying ten strategic tasks. China Daily. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Education Bureau. (2025, August). 2025/26 “Mainland University Studies Subsidy Scheme” application guidelines. Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency. (in Chinese) Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. (2020, June). Cap. 115 Immigration Ordinance: Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2020 published in Gazette. Government Gazette (Extraordinary), 24(48), 1-72. Jiani, M. A. (2017). Why and how international students choose Mainland China as a higher education study abroad destination. Higher Education, 74, 563-579. Leung, C. K. C. (2013). Reasons for Hong Kong parents sending their children abroad for secondary education. University of Technology Sydney (Australia). Li, H., Loyalka, P., Rozelle, S., & Wu, B. (2017). Human capital and China’s future growth. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 31(1), 25-48. Lim, M. A., Anabo, I. F., Phan, A. N. Q., Elepaño, M. A., & Kuntamarat, G. (2022). Graduate Employability in ASEAN: The Contribution of Student Mobility. Work, (1). Lingnan University Ethics Committee. (2023). Ethical guidelines for human subjects research. Lingnan University. Liu, L., & Coates, H. (2024). International education hubs: A comparative study of China’s Greater Bay Area and established hubs. 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A. (2018). Hong Kong students entering Mainland China universities: A review of the admission scheme. Public Administration and Policy, 21(1), 50-67. Tian, Z., & Zhang, Y. (2024). Choosing Hong Kongfor postgraduate studies: A systematicanalysis of the key determinantsinfluencing intra-Asia mobility among mainland Chinese students. Education and Lifelong Development Research, 1(1), 31-40. Vyas, L., & Yu, B. (2018). An investigation into the academic acculturation experiences of Mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong. Higher Education, 76, 883-901. Wen, W. (2012). China in the emerging reality of Asia regional higher education. In Higher education regionzlization in Asia Pacific: Implications for govermance, citizenship and university transformation (pp.79-89). New York: Palgrave Macmillan US. Wen, W. (2013). The formulation and transition of China’s education policy from 1978 to 2007: A discourse analysis, foreign language publication. The Ohio State University. Wen, W. (2014). Bridging the gap between Western and Chinese evidence in the international education market. China & World Economy, 22(6), 87-102. Wen, W., & Hu, D. (2019). The emergence of a regional education hub: Rationales of international students’ choice of China as the study destination. Journal of Studies in International Education, 23(3), 303-325. Woo, E., & Wang, L. (2024). Crisscrossing scapes in the global flow of elite mainland Chinese students. Higher Education, 87(3), 551-566. World Bank. (2007). Malaysia and the knowledge economy: Building a world class higher education system. Xu, C. L. (2023). ‘Diaspora at home’: Class and politics in the navigation of Hong Kong students in Mainland China’s Universities. International Studies in Sociology of Education, 32(2), 178-195. Xu, C. L. (2015). When the Hong Kong dream meets the anti-mainlandisation discourse: Mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong. Journal of Current Chinese Affairs, 44(3), 15-47.
Teacher allocation as a global concern: China’s policy experience over nearly three decades
Ensuring a sufficient supply of high-quality teachers at the compulsory education stage is a globally shared concern. To achieve this goal, countries worldwide have adopted various intervention measures for teacher allocation, in addition to market mechanisms. As a centralized country, China has assumed a more prominent role in teacher allocation than many Western countries, accumulating a wealth of policy and practical experience that remains underexplored internationally. Therefore, this study employs policy text analysis to reveal China’s teacher allocation policies and practices over the past three decades at the compulsory education stage, aiming to offer insights for other contexts. The study finds that China has implemented various teacher allocation measures, which can be categorized into four stages, each reflecting the key educational priorities of its period: 1) the quantity supplementation (1998-2005) ; 2) the quality development stage (2006-2013) ; 3) the stage balancing quality and equity (2014-2020) ; and 4) the strong teacher stage for further promoting high-quality education development (2021–present) . The policy experiences identified in this study may inform other countries seeking to adapt effective approaches to their unique developmental needs and stages. Document Type: Original article Cited as: Zhang, M., Jiang, Q. H., & Fang, T. T. (2025). Teacher allocation as a global concern: China’s policy experience over nearly three decades. Education and Lifelong Development Research, 2(3): 114-124. https://doi.org/10.46690/elder.2025.03.02 References Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. 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An empirical study on influencing factors of STEM career interest among Chinese primary and middle school students
This study investigates the factors influencing STEM career interest among primary and middle school students. Drawing on social cognitive theory and social cognitive career theory, it examines the roles of self-efficacy and subject-specific attitudes in shaping students’ vocational aspirations. Using a questionnaire adapted from validated international scales, data were collected from 734 Grades 3 to 8 students in China. The results indicate that STEM self-efficacy significantly predicts students’ attitudes toward STEM subjects, which in turn influence their career interests. Science and engineering/technology attitudes emerged as direct predictors of career interest, while mathematics attitude played an indirect role. Gender and grade-level differences were also observed, with girls in lower or upper grades showing greater interest. 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Learning between two systems: A reflexive narrative of a mainland Chinese student’s intercultural adaptation in Macao
Macao’s universities have experienced a marked increase in the enrollment of Chinese students seeking tertiary education since the 2000s. Thus, understanding the process of intercultural academic adaptation for Chinese students is becoming increasingly important. This study draws on Gill’s transformative learning framework for intercultural adaptation, using a reflexive narrative approach to share the author’s experiences as a China’s mainland student in Macao studies. Drawn from the author’s cross-border learning experience, this narrative aims to investigate the intercultural transformative learning experiences of the Chinese mainland students studying in Macao. From initial confusion and stress in academic life to gradual adaptation and ultimately achieving growth within an intercultural environment, this process aligns with Gill’s transformative learning framework for intercultural adaptation. Investigating students’ learning experiences from their perspectives can enhance the literature on intercultural adaptation and cross-border higher education. Document Type: Original article Cited as: Wu, Z. X. (2025). Learning between two systems: A reflexive narrative of a China’s mainland student’s intercultural adaptation in Macao. Education and Lifelong Development Research, 2(3): 134-145. https://doi.org/10.46690/elder.2025.03.04 References Alamri, B. (2018). The role of social media in intercultural adaptation: A review of the literature. English Language Teaching, 11(12), 77-85. Amanor, A., & Delariarte, C. (2024). Personality traits as moderating variables for cross-cultural adjustment and psychological well-being.Pastoral Psychology, 1-25. Bal, A. (2014). Becoming in/competent learners in the United States: Refugee students’ academic identities in the figured world of difference. International Multilingual Research Journal, 8(4), 271-290. Barkhuizen, G. (2016). 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