News

Social Inclusion and Academic Success of Chinese Students in EU Higher Education

Outputs

International Meetings
International Meeting

Four International meeting - June 3, 2022

International Meeting

Third International meeting - January 25-27, 2022

International Meeting

Second International meeting - November 9-11, 2021

International Meeting

First International meeting - October 28-29, 2019

Training Activities: Intercultural Awareness training in EU
Begoña

Begoña Ruiz De Infante - September 14, 2020

Diana Vallescar

Diana de Vallescar Palanca (UPT, Portugal)- SEPTEMBER 7, 2020

Minkang Zou Gu

Minkang Zhou Gu (CERAO, China)- September 2, 2020

Training Activities: Inclusive Education Training
Antje Schone

Antje Schöne - September 16, 2020

Carmen Espin

Carmen Espin - September 2020

Liz Thomas

Liz Thomas - September 3, 2020

About the Project

Social Inclusion and Academic Success of Chinese Students in EU Higher Education

The present project is ERASMUS +, Strategic associations in the field of higher education (K203), aims to provide an intervention model adjusted to the challenges facing the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). This model will be elaborated from an integral vision of higher education, aimed to improve the induction, follow-up, retention and academic success of Chinese students in European universities under the paradigm of the social inclusion.
The development of the project is expected to:

  1. Achieve greater social and academic inclusion of Chinese students;
  2. Raise awareness among the local students, teachers, administrative and service staff;
  3. Optimize group cohesion among students in multicultural environments;
  4. Develop a methodology of didactic organisational nature based on educational guidance and support and
  5. Facilitate intercultural communication among the agents involved.

To achieve this objective and the expected results, we will start from the knowledge of the context of action (external and internal policies, characterisation of the EHEA and the specificity of each of the partner universities, the Chinese educational system, Chinese students and the other agents involved), and the knowledge of good practices, shortcomings, obstacles and opportunities identified in studies prior to the project (induction plans, mentoring actions, administrative and teaching support, etc.).

During the development of the project, it is proposed to build a common European theoretical, practical and conceptual framework around the induction, follow-up, retention and academic success of students from Chinese speaking countries who are studying at European universities.
This common frame of reference will serve as the basis for the shared design (which does not mean unified) of a specific guiding model that will include:of a specific guiding model that will include:

  1. Formulation of objectives,
  2. Organisation of the general action plans (dimensions),
  3. General strategies of orientation / tutoring and organisation,
  4. Specific strategies of each University / Faculty / Degree, where applicable,
  5. Specification of the implementation process,
  6. Plan of the evaluation process.

This designed model will be implemented so it will be necessary to create a specific action plan for each of the partner universities for the execution and evaluation of the same during the project. The evaluation will take into account the effectiveness and suggestions generated during the development, the detection of needs and progress, the implementation of self-observation and review mechanisms, feedback and self-regulation. Finally, it is expected to verify the relevance and impact of the project by making an integral review, detecting pitfalls and looking for alternatives. We will endeavor to secure the continuity and permanence over time , planning that any improvement is maintained, promoting the institutionalization of the model and its incorporation into the culture of partner universities.

Outputs of the Project

Social Inclusion and Academic Success of Chinese Students in EU Higher Education

The objectives defined on the Intellectual Outputs to the Project SIAS CHINA-EU are:

  1. A creation of advisory, support and training materials such as a general guide with the conditions, actions and recommendations for a good reception, follow-up, permanence and academic success of Chinese students in European universities is contemplated;
  2. A specific guide for each of the university partners: a great variety of resources classified according to the recipient (Chinese students, European students, teachers, administration and services staff, institution and university authorities);
  3. A specific Tutorial Action Plan for Chinese-EU students. Resources for the awareness and improvement of intercultural communication;
  4. A publication of the experience designed to share and make proposals for transfer to other European situations and universities, groups of incoming students and educational levels;
  5. A brochure translated into different EU languages that shows the model in a synthetic way;
  6. An open and online environment that shows the globality and specificity of the SIAS China-EU project.

The organisation of multiplier events will allow the dissemination of the results between the European university community and other educational institutions of different levels where the model could be applied. These events aim to share and disseminate the experience in face-to-face debate and online environments that broaden horizons.

IOs Description

Intellectual Output 1: SIAS China-EU Training Materials for Chinese Students

IO1 is aimed at Chinese students who want to further their education at European universities. The main objectives of this intellectual product are:

  1. To provide tools to understanding EHEA and the characteristics of the universities chosen by Chinese students to continue their education.
  2. 2. To provide information to become familiar with political, economical, social, cultural and educational context in the European Union.
  3. 3. To promote cross-cultural communication as one of the key factors for social inclusion and academic success.
  4. 4. To facilitate the acquisition of learning strategies for greater academic success of Chinese students.
  5. 5. To offer a deeper reflection on topics proposed by either academic staff or by the students themselves.
  6. 6. To provide alternative approaches to specific content related to academic topics from their curriculum.

This material also includes transversal objectives from the other intellectual products.

Intellectual Output 2: SIAS China-EU Training Materials for Local students and Non-Chinese International Students

IO2 is aimed at local students and non-Chinese International students. The main objectives of this intellectual product are:

  1. To Promote critical analysis of cross-cultural issues and practices in EU universities; specifically in relation to communicating and living with Chinese students.
  2. To highlight sociocultural differences and to influence awareness about Chinese society by presenting, analysing and contrasting the political, economical, social, cultural and educational contexts for both, EU and China.
  3. To stress the importance of communication initiatives, improving socialization and its effect on academic performance.
  4. To encourage student’s acquisition of cross cultural communication strategies and shared learning, both aspects being essential for academic success within the EHEA.
  5. To enable a deeper reflection about relevant and specific topics proposed by either academic staff or by students themselves.
  6. To promote Global SIAS China-UE (IO5) initiative through links between actions and actors.

This learning material focuses on monitoring academic performance and permanence in EU Universities.

Intellectual Output 3: SIAS China-EU Training Materials for Teaching Staff

IO3 is aimed at teaching staff from Consortium’s universities that host Chinese overseas students. It is also applicable to academic staff belonging to other universities and to teaching staff dealing with overseas students from countries other than China. The main objectives of this intellectual product are:

  1. To highlight the importance of teaching practice through cultural awareness and the analysis of its social, psychological and pedagogical repercussions.
  2. To promote critical analysis of cross-cultural issues within EU universities, and within the Consortium’s universities, in view to implement formative actions.
  3. To strengthen socialization issues and its influence over academic performance in order to facilitate a reflection about educational praxis at personal and institutional levels.
  4. To facilitate strategies, resources, theoretical and practical tools needed for a fluent and high-quality cross-cultural communication between academic staff and Chinese students at EU universities.
  5. To point out sociocultural differences and to promote awareness about Chinese society as a tool for social and academic inclusion of foreign students within the EU.
  6. To promote good academic practices that favor social and academic inclusion of Chinese students within EU.
  7. To promote Global SIAS China-UE (IO5) initiative through links between actions and actors.

Cross-cultural awareness is one of the most productive and essential aspect for the practical development of internationalization within the framework of a global inclusive education and the promotion of academic success among Chinese students.

Intellectual Output 4: SIAS China-EU Training Materials for Administration and Service Staff

IO4 is aimed to administration and service personnel from Consortium’s universities. It will be applicable to other EU universities as well. The main objectives of this intellectual product are:

  1. To point out sociocultural differences and promote awareness about Chinese society as a tool for social and academic inclusion of Chinese students within the EHEA.
  2. To highlight the importance of communication in all actions carried out by administration and support personnel.
  3. To Facilitate strategies, resources and theoretical and practical tools needed for a fluent and high-quality cross-cultural communication with Chinese students within the EU.
  4. To promote Global SIAS China-UE (IO5) initiative through links between actions and actors.

The material will analyze all stages related to recruitment, pastoral care, monitoring and post-academic prospects of Chinese studying at EU universities.

Intellectual Output 5: Guidelines handbook for social inclusion and academic success of Chinese students in European universities

IO5 will be the normative model for SIAS China-EU initiatives. It will contain all the analyzed strategies and provide resources for their development. It will also contain guidelines about how and when to implement them. It will act as an institutional guide open to further customization by faculties and departments. It will also be a good complement to the Tutorial Action Plan developed. It will include key ideas and good practices, a SIAS China-EU global map linking all the actions. The contents organised in modules that EU universities or any other institution should be able to use and adapt totally or partially. A rational and detailed explanation of all resources will be included as well as some guidelines for its implementation outside the Consortium's context. An infographic summary will be produced.

Multipliers Events

E1-International Workshop on Social Inclusion and Success of Chinese Students in the EHEA (In China)

The aims of this workshop are to introduce the project to a Chinese audience; to present our findings, finals results and intellectual outputs translated into Chinese and to show possible ways to use the intellectual outputs of the project For this event, our target groups will be Chinese University teachers, Chinese High School teachers, Chinese Study Abroad agencies, European and Chinese authorities whose work is related to Chinese Students wishing to continue their education in Europe, Chinese Students, Teachers from language centers whose main activity is to help students to achieve the language level required to obtain the visa to go to Europe.

E2-National Seminar Spain SIAS China-EU

Seminars aimed to publicize the results of the SIAS China-EU project at local and national level (Spain). This event aims to introduce and explain all the stages of the SIAS China-EU project and its results to all target groups to create synergies. The relevance of this event is to give value to cultural sensitivity and emotional wellbeing as functional keys to understand and apply academic, cultural and recreation programmes that help to improve coexistence in training and educational spaces. A coexistence that needs to increase intercultural relations and intercultural connections as an educational value for quality of life and educational and community well-being becomes visible.

The main target groups for this event are:

  1. Political leaders, national authorities like SEPIE, NGOs, companies, etc.
  2. Administration staff that will directly benefit from IO4 and IO5 results.
  3. Teaching staff that will directly benefit from IO3 and IO5 results.
  4. Students who will directly benefit from IO1, IO2 and IO5 results.
  5. Community of European and non-European universities that would like to adapt the SIAS China-EU model guidelines to their educational context.
  6. Educational agencies and educational organisations that will benefit from the SIAS China-EU project and will assess it.
  7. Chinese universities’ administration and teaching staff that will benefit from SIAS China-EU model guidelines and the intellectual outputs of this project.
  8. Study abroad Chinese agencies that could use SIAS China-EU project IOs in their preparation and orientation process.
  9. Primary and secondary schools that would like to improve or complete their actions, activities and materials for intercultural and inclusion purposes based on SIAS China-EU project IOs.
  10. Vocational education and training institutions that would like to improve and adapt innovative materials for intercultural and inclusion purposes based on SIAS China-EU project IOs.
  11. Adult education institutions that would like to improve and adapt innovative materials for intercultural and inclusion purposes based on SIAS China-EU project IOs.
  12. General public because the SIAS China-EU project results can help to promote internationalisation, interculturality and inclusion of society.

E3-National Seminar Germany SIAS China-EU

Seminars aimed to publicize the results of the SIAS China-EU project at local and national level (Germany).

This event aims to introduce and explain all the stages of the SIAS China-EU project and its results to all target groups to create synergies. The relevance of this event is to give value to cultural sensitivity and emotional wellbeing as functional keys to understand and apply academic, cultural and recreational programmes that help to improve coexistence in training and educational spaces. A coexistence that needs to increase intercultural relations and intercultural connections as an educational value for quality of life and educational and community well-being becomes visible.

The main target groups for this event are:

  1. Political leaders, national authorities like SEPIE, NGOs, companies, etc.
  2. Administration staff that will directly benefit from IO4 and IO5 results.
  3. Teaching staff that will directly benefit from IO3 and IO5 results.
  4. Students who will directly benefit from IO1, IO2 and IO5 results.
  5. Community of European and non-European universities that would like to adapt the SIAS China-EU model guidelines to their educational context.
  6. Educational agencies and educational organisations that will benefit from the SIAS China-EU project and will assess it.
  7. Chinese universities’ administration and teaching staff that will benefit from SIAS China-EU model guidelines and the intellectual outputs of this project.
  8. Study abroad Chinese agencies that could use SIAS China-EU project IOs in their preparation and orientation process.
  9. Primary and secondary schools that would like to improve or complete their actions, activities and materials for intercultural and inclusion purposes based on SIAS China-EU project IOs.
  10. Vocational education and training institutions that would like to improve and adapt innovative materials for intercultural and inclusion purposes based on SIAS China-EU project IOs.
  11. Adult education institutions that would like to improve and adapt innovative materials for intercultural and inclusion purposes based on SIAS China-EU project IOs.
  12. General public because the SIAS China-EU project results can help to promote internationalisation, interculturality and inclusion of society.
National Seminar

National Seminar Portugal - May 30th, 2022

Seminars aimed to publicize the results of the SIAS China-EU project at local and national level (Portugal).

This event aims to introduce and explain all the stages of the SIAS China-EU project and its results to all target groups to create synergies. The relevance of this event is to give value to cultural sensitivity and emotional wellbeing as functional keys to understand and apply academic, cultural and recreational programmes that help to improve coexistence in training and educational spaces. A coexistence that needs to increase intercultural relations and intercultural connections as an educational value for quality of life and educational and community well-being becomes visible.

The main target groups for this event are:

  1. Political leaders, national authorities like SEPIE, NGOs, companies, etc.
  2. Administration staff that will directly benefit from IO4 and IO5 results.
  3. Teaching staff that will directly benefit from IO3 and IO5 results.
  4. Students who will directly benefit from IO1, IO2 and IO5 results.
  5. Community of European and non-European universities that would like to adapt the SIAS China-EU model guidelines to their educational context.
  6. Educational agencies and educational organisations that will benefit from the SIAS China-EU project and will assess it.
  7. Chinese universities’ administration and teaching staff that will benefit from SIAS China-EU model guidelines and the intellectual outputs of this project.
  8. Study abroad Chinese agencies that could use SIAS China-EU project IOs in their preparation and orientation process.
  9. Primary and secondary schools that would like to improve or complete their actions, activities and materials for intercultural and inclusion purposes based on SIAS China-EU project IOs.
  10. Vocational education and training institutions that would like to improve and adapt innovative materials for intercultural and inclusion purposes based on SIAS China-EU project IOs.
  11. Adult education institutions that would like to improve and adapt innovative materials for intercultural and inclusion purposes based on SIAS China-EU project IOs.
  12. General public because the SIAS China-EU project results can help to promote internationalisation, interculturality and inclusion of society.

E5-National Seminar France SIAS China-EU

Seminars aimed to publicize the results of the SIAS China-EU project at local and national level (France).

This event aims to introduce and explain all the stages of the SIAS China-EU project and its results to all target groups to create synergies. The relevance of this event is to give value to cultural sensitivity and emotional wellbeing as functional keys to understand and apply academic, cultural and recreational programmes that help to improve coexistence in training and educational spaces. A coexistence that needs to increase intercultural relations and intercultural connections as an educational value for quality of life and educational and community well-being becomes visible.

The main target groups for this event are:

  1. Political leaders, national authorities like SEPIE, NGOs, companies, etc.
  2. Administration staff that will directly benefit from IO4 and IO5 results.
  3. Teaching staff that will directly benefit from IO3 and IO5 results.
  4. Students who will directly benefit from IO1, IO2 and IO5 results.
  5. Community of European and non-European universities that would like to adapt the SIAS China-EU model guidelines to their educational context.
  6. Educational agencies and educational organisations that will benefit from the SIAS China-EU project and will assess it.
  7. Chinese universities’ administration and teaching staff that will benefit from SIAS China-EU model guidelines and the intellectual outputs of this project.
  8. Study abroad Chinese agencies that could use SIAS China-EU project IOs in their preparation and orientation process.
  9. Primary and secondary schools that would like to improve or complete their actions, activities and materials for intercultural and inclusion purposes based on SIAS China-EU project IOs.
  10. Vocational education and training institutions that would like to improve and adapt innovative materials for intercultural and inclusion purposes based on SIAS China-EU project IOs.
  11. Adult education institutions that would like to improve and adapt innovative materials for intercultural and inclusion purposes based on SIAS China-EU project IOs.
  12. General public because the SIAS China-EU project results can help to promote internationalisation, interculturality and inclusion of society.

E6-National Seminar United Kingdom SIAS China-EU

Seminars aimed to publicize the results of the SIAS China-EU project at local and national level (United Kingdom).

This event aims to introduce and explain all the stages of the SIAS China-EU project and its results to all target groups to create synergies. The relevance of this event is to give value to cultural sensitivity and emotional wellbeing as functional keys to understand and apply academic, cultural and recreational programmes that help to improve coexistence in training and educational spaces. A coexistence that needs to increase intercultural relations and intercultural connections as an educational value for quality of life and educational and community well-being becomes visible.

The main target groups for this event are:

  1. Political leaders, national authorities like SEPIE, NGOs, companies, etc.
  2. Administration staff that will directly benefit from IO4 and IO5 results.
  3. Teaching staff that will directly benefit from IO3 and IO5 results.
  4. Students who will directly benefit from IO1, IO2 and IO5 results.
  5. Community of European and non-European universities that would like to adapt the SIAS China-EU model guidelines to their educational context.
  6. Educational agencies and educational organisations that will benefit from the SIAS China-EU project and will assess it.
  7. Chinese universities’ administration and teaching staff that will benefit from SIAS China-EU model guidelines and the intellectual outputs of this project.
  8. Study abroad Chinese agencies that could use SIAS China-EU project IOs in their preparation and orientation process.
  9. Primary and secondary schools that would like to improve or complete their actions, activities and materials for intercultural and inclusion purposes based on SIAS China-EU project IOs.
  10. Vocational education and training institutions that would like to improve and adapt innovative materials for intercultural and inclusion purposes based on SIAS China-EU project IOs.
  11. Adult education institutions that would like to improve and adapt innovative materials for intercultural and inclusion purposes based on SIAS China-EU project IOs.
  12. General public because the SIAS China-EU project results can help to promote internationalisation, interculturality and inclusion of society.

E7-International Conference on Social Inclusion And Success of Chinese Students in EU Higher Education

The aim of this seminar is to present the results of the project and all the intellectual outputs (see Intellectual Outputs section).

The groups our seminar will address are teachers from EU universities, educational organisations, study abroad agencies, local and foreign students and authorities whose work is directly related to the Chinese community.

Project Team

Applicant Organisation:

UAB

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona-Spain

Partners on the Erasmus+ Project SIAS CHINA-EU:

TUHH

Technische Universität Hamburg-Germany

NTU

Nottingham Trent University-United Kingdom

IPG

Polytechnic Institute of Guarda-Portugal

Associated Partners on the Erasmus+ Project SIAS CHINA-EU:

associated

Associated Partners

FAQ

Wait to answer your questions:

Who are the partners on the project ?

The project is coordinated by Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona-Spain cooperating with three partners universities.
University of Nottingham-United Kingdom, Technische Universität Hamburg-Germany and Polytechnic Institute of Guarda-Portugal.

What's the duration of the project?

Project total duration is 36 months. Project started at 2019 and end at 2022.

What are Intellectual Outputs title?

IO1- SIAS China-EU Learning Materials for Chinese Students.
IO2 - SIAS China-EU Learning Materials for Local students and Non-Chinese International Students.
IO3 - SIAS China-EU Training Materials for Teaching Staff
IO4 - SIAS China-EU Training Materials for Administration and Service Staff
IO5 - Guidelines handbook for social inclusion and academic success of chinese students in European universities.

Contacts

For more information about the project

Project: Erasmus + SIAS CHINA- EU
Coordinator: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Adress: pl. Edifici A (Rectorat), 08193 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès)-Spain

Please contact: pr.sias.china.eu@uab.cat