Experiences of Chinese academics: Working at an Australian regional university: An embedded case study

Globalisation and international migration can be found among many professions and occupations. Australian universities are employing academics with international experiences, plus international academics with experience of other educational systems. While there is increasing body of research about the experiences of international students in Australian universities, there is limited research concerning experiences of international academics, especially those of Chinese origin. This study explores and documents the experiences of nine Chinese academics working at a regional Australian university. An embedded case study approach enabled an analysis of interview data where the experiences of theses academics were examined in relation to the changing social and political contexts within the People’s Republic of China since 1949 and the HE context in Australia. This study found that these academics began their educational journeys in China with eventual migration to Australia. All nine academics possessed higher education qualifications and a proven research capacity that enabled them gain academic positions at the regional university. Their experiences of the Australian higher education system varied and this demonstrated a range of personal and professional adjustments in order to gain a permanent position in a regional university. Therefore this study contributes to an area where there is little systematic research on Chinese academic migration generally, but more specifically the potential impact of the Chinese academics in Australian institutions.