Professional Course Contexts and Chinese Cultural Identification among International Students in China: The Mediating Role of Understanding China

Abstract

In China, international student education aims to build not only disciplinary competence but also a nuanced understanding of the host society. Yet research on cultural learning among international students has mostly concentrated on language courses, China studies, and extracurricular activities. Professional courses such as finance, management, engineering, and medicine have received far less attention. Building on situated learning theory and intercultural learning research, this study tests a mediation model in which professional course contexts are expected to influence Chinese cultural identification directly and indirectly through students' understanding of China. Survey data were collected from 320 international students enrolled in degree programs at three Chinese universities. The analysis shows a positive association between a professionally meaningful course context and Chinese cultural identification. This link is partially mediated by students' ability to interpret Chinese economic, social, and institutional practices in a contextualized and disciplinary way. These results indicate that professional courses can function as meaningful sites of cultural learning when disciplinary study is combined with a contextualized understanding of China. Implications for curriculum design and institutional policy are also considered.