Designing an Intercultural Postgraduate Research Development Program in a Transnational University in China

Abstract

This chapter uses reflective practice and narrative inquiry (Bold, Using narrative in research. London: Sage, 2012; Clandinin, Handbook of narrative inquiry: Mapping a methodology. London: Sage, 2007; Engaging in narrative inquiry. San Francisco: Left Coast Press, 2013) to explore the intercultural and multicultural characteristics of the Postgraduate Research (PGR) Development Programme at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, a Sino-British transnational university in China. As part of a multimethods qualitative approach, this chapter reports on in-depth individual and group interviews that were used to explore a diverse range of voices, including Doctoral researchers, who are also teaching assistants, and PhD supervisors, as well as critical reflections of the educational developers (the authors) on the intercultural design of the PGR Programme. Our findings show that the PGR Programme has considerable benefits in a transnational context where intercultural communication is an inherent and important part of ultimate success for PhD candidates, and intercultural communication skills development is a key part of what the PGR Programme offers. This study provides useful insights for academics and program designers in China, and beyond, when constructing a similar program in their own context.

Interview Questions: PhD Candidates/TAs

• 1. What do you think about the PGR Programme?

• 2. In what ways does/did the PGR Programme help you in your PhD journey?

• 3. How do you feel about the interaction with other PhD students in the programme?

• 4. Why did you choose to do your PhD in a transnational university like University A (rather than a Chinese university, or a university in your home country)?

• 5. Do you think the PGR Programme is “culturally appropriate”? In other words, are you made to feel welcome in the programme? Are your opinions respected and do you feel like you have enough chance to voice your opinions and/or concerns?

• 6. As a University PhD candidate, you have to comply with the rules and regulations of the University of Liverpool. What are your thoughts about that? For example, do you think it’s very different from what it would be like in a Chinese university? Is it very different from your home countries?

• 7. Did you have any experience of education with a multicultural student cohort before you started your PhD at University A? How do you feel about this aspect? In what ways does the PGR Programme help you to connect with other PhD students?

• 8. Do you think your interactions with students from different cultures will benefit you in your future career? If so, how? If not, why not?

• 9. Are you doing TA work? What are your thoughts about teaching a Chinese cohort of students in English? Do any cultural issues arise in the classroom?

• 10. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Interview Questions: PhD Supervisors

• 11. What do you think about the PGR Programme?

• 12. In what ways do you think the PGR Programme helps the students you supervise in their PhD journey?

• 13. What are your feelings about working in a multicultural context? What benefits does it present? And what challenges?

• 14. Do you think the students you are supervising are benefitting from being part of a culturally diverse groups of PhD students? If so, how? If not, why not?

• 15. Given that your students are effectively University B students, and they have to comply with UoB/UK rules and regulations, what do you see as the main challenges your students face by being based at University A?

• 16. If you could implement one thing that would make the PhD journey easier or more rewarding for the students you supervise, what would it be?

• 17. Is there anything else you would like to add?