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Heading the Road Less Travelled: Exploring Chinese Students' Motivations to Study in Tanzania

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Title: Heading the Road Less Travelled: Exploring Chinese Students' Motivations to Study in Tanzania
Language: English
Authors: Yuxiao Jiang (ORCID 0009-0002-6354-8498), Kun Dai (ORCID 0000-0001-6947-7710), Alan C. K. Cheung (ORCID 0000-0002-9013-1586)
Source: Higher Education Research and Development. 2026 45(3):586-603.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 18
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Study Abroad, Decision Making, Affordances, Barriers, School Choice, Graduate Students, International Cooperation, Institutional Cooperation, Scholarships, Admission Criteria, Capital (Sociology), Labor Market, Costs
Geographic Terms: China, Tanzania
DOI: 10.1080/07294360.2025.2551086
ISSN: 0729-4360
1469-8366
Abstract: The global pattern of international student mobility is increasingly diverse and complex. Existing studies predominantly focus on student flows from less-developed to more-developed countries, primarily in Western countries or emerging educational hubs like China. However, the reverse student mobility from these established regions to relatively more peripheral destinations, particularly Africa, remains underexplored. To fill this gap, we interview 14 Chinese students with study experience in Tanzania to understand the rationale behind this unconventional choice. Drawing upon a modified push-pull model, the findings reveal that students are simultaneously 'pulled' toward and 'pushed' to Tanzania by several intertwined structural and individual factors. Notably, the growing China-Tanzania relations, strengthened university alliances, availability of scholarships, and low entry requirements attract students seeking unique experiences and opportunities to accumulate Africa-related capital. Simultaneously, challenges such as a saturated domestic job market, high costs of Western education, and credential inflation push students to adopt a more pragmatic approach, reinforcing Tanzania as an optimal choice to balance their aspirations and capabilities. This study offers a marginalized yet integral perspective on the unique reverse student flow, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamics shaping global student flows.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1503755
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Heading the Road Less Travelled: Exploring Chinese Students' Motivations to Study in Tanzania
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yuxiao+Jiang%22">Yuxiao Jiang</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6354-8498">0009-0002-6354-8498</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kun+Dai%22">Kun Dai</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6947-7710">0000-0001-6947-7710</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alan+C%2E+K%2E+Cheung%22">Alan C. K. Cheung</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9013-1586">0000-0002-9013-1586</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Higher+Education+Research+and+Development%22"><i>Higher Education Research and Development</i></searchLink>. 2026 45(3):586-603.
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  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 18
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Study+Abroad%22">Study Abroad</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Decision+Making%22">Decision Making</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Affordances%22">Affordances</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Choice%22">School Choice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Graduate+Students%22">Graduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22International+Cooperation%22">International Cooperation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Institutional+Cooperation%22">Institutional Cooperation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scholarships%22">Scholarships</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Admission+Criteria%22">Admission Criteria</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Capital+%28Sociology%29%22">Capital (Sociology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Labor+Market%22">Labor Market</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Costs%22">Costs</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tanzania%22">Tanzania</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1080/07294360.2025.2551086
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  Data: 0729-4360<br />1469-8366
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The global pattern of international student mobility is increasingly diverse and complex. Existing studies predominantly focus on student flows from less-developed to more-developed countries, primarily in Western countries or emerging educational hubs like China. However, the reverse student mobility from these established regions to relatively more peripheral destinations, particularly Africa, remains underexplored. To fill this gap, we interview 14 Chinese students with study experience in Tanzania to understand the rationale behind this unconventional choice. Drawing upon a modified push-pull model, the findings reveal that students are simultaneously 'pulled' toward and 'pushed' to Tanzania by several intertwined structural and individual factors. Notably, the growing China-Tanzania relations, strengthened university alliances, availability of scholarships, and low entry requirements attract students seeking unique experiences and opportunities to accumulate Africa-related capital. Simultaneously, challenges such as a saturated domestic job market, high costs of Western education, and credential inflation push students to adopt a more pragmatic approach, reinforcing Tanzania as an optimal choice to balance their aspirations and capabilities. This study offers a marginalized yet integral perspective on the unique reverse student flow, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamics shaping global student flows.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1503755
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        Value: 10.1080/07294360.2025.2551086
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      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 18
        StartPage: 586
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Study Abroad
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Decision Making
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Affordances
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Barriers
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      – SubjectFull: School Choice
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      – SubjectFull: Graduate Students
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      – SubjectFull: International Cooperation
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      – SubjectFull: Institutional Cooperation
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      – SubjectFull: Scholarships
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      – SubjectFull: Admission Criteria
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      – SubjectFull: Capital (Sociology)
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      – SubjectFull: Labor Market
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      – SubjectFull: Costs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Tanzania
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Heading the Road Less Travelled: Exploring Chinese Students' Motivations to Study in Tanzania
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            NameFull: Kun Dai
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