Date of Award
12-31-2025
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Discipline
Social Sciences
Department
Sociology and Social Policy
First Advisor
Dr ZHAO Kai
Second Advisor
Prof. ZHAI Keyu Colin
Third Advisor
Prof. ZHANG Huijuan
Abstract
With the rapid development of Sino-foreign cooperative universities and their growing prominence in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), existing research has begun to focus on this niche sector. While prior studies have examined the tensions of global integration and local responsiveness in such institutions at a macro level, limited attention has been paid to students and faculty—the primary agents of educational practice. To address this gap, this study conducts fieldwork at CUHK-Shenzhen, a cross-border collaborative university in the GBA. This study adopted a qualitative research method and collected field data over six months, including teaching activities and campus life. At the same time, interviews were conducted with 28 students and 8 faculty members, as alongside a review of national policies, campus newsletters and university regulations. Through the theoretical lens of paradox, this study examines the dynamic integration mechanisms between internationalization and localization in Sino-foreign cooperative universities.
The findings reveal that, for faculty members and students, internationalization is defined as “non-traditional university-ization”, “western-ization” and “advanced-ization”, whereas localization is associated with bureaucratization and “practical-ization”. These perceptions generate multiple tensions across campus management, teaching practices, and curriculum and research. Notably, the faculty members and students demonstrates a dialectical attitude characterized by the coexistence of contradiction and symbiosis when navigating these tensions. By studying the dynamic integration mechanisms between internationalization and localization of CUHK-Shenzhen, this study not only provides first-hand insights into crossborder higher education but also contributes empirical support for paradox theory in this context.
Language
English
Copyright
The copyright of this thesis is owned by its author. Any reproduction, adaptation, distribution or dissemination of this thesis without express authorization is strictly prohibited.
Recommended Citation
Guo, J. (2025). Embedded paradox : the integration of internationalization and localization in sino-foreign cooperative universities (Doctoral thesis, Lingnan University, Hong Kong). Retrieved from https://commons.ln.edu.hk/otd/275/
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