This book examines the way Chinese academics returning from the US re-establish their academic identities and professional practices at Chinas research universities in the context of higher education internationalization in China. It goes beyond economic accounts of academic mobility based on the notions of brain drain, brain gain, and brain circulation. Instead, it uses a cultural approach to explore the everyday experiences of the returning scholars concerning the issues of their sense of identity, as well as their ways of connecting and bringing about changes in their work communities. It will appeal anyone interested in 1) globalization and academic mobility; 2) Chinas talent policies and strategies; and 3) the internationalization of Chinese universities.
Introduction.- Higher Education Transition and Academic Mobility in
China.- Theorizing Academic Mobility.- Return Mobility, Motivations, and
Driving-factors: Negotiating the Process of Return.- Reintegration,
Challenges, and Structural Constraints: A Reflection on Chinas Academic
System.- Learning, Knowledge Transfer, and Institutional Innovation: The
Impact of Academic Mobility.- Concluding Reflections.