Chinese Students’ Intercultural Communication in Higher Education: Affordances, Challenges, and Contexts

Summary

Chinese students make up the biggest group of international learners, yet many still find it hard to talk and connect with classmates from other cultures. This four-part study asked why and what can be done. First, we looked at past work and saw two main roadblocks: understanding others and finding shared topics. Next, we learned real student interactions and found that the setting itself—classroom layout, teacher guidance, group mix—shapes both feelings and behavior. Even beginners reacted the same way. Finally, we built special mixed-culture activities and proved that small changes in the setting quickly boost confidence and participation. The takeaway: instead of blaming students, schools can redesign classrooms, clubs and online spaces to spark natural, comfortable intercultural talk. The simple toolkit is ready for any campus to copy and adapt.