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Since the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the education industry for studying abroad in China has gone through the initial stage, the adjustment stage of reform and opening up, the rapid development stage of the new millennium, and the stage of improving quality and efficiency after 2019. Affected by the COVID-19, the overall scale of studying abroad in China has declined significantly since 2020. The current education for studying abroad in China has officially entered the post epidemic era, and it is expected to take 3-5 years to recover to the scale and level before the epidemic. However, overall, it is the trend for education for studying abroad in China to enter a new stage of connotative development, which is not only in line with the laws of international education development under the background of globalization, but also an inevitable requirement for China to adhere to high-level opening up to the outside world.
The epidemic has accelerated the adjustment of the international economic and political landscape, and the international environment is undergoing profound and complex changes. In the new situation, how to strengthen the construction of international communication capacity, comprehensively enhance international communication efficiency, form an international discourse power that matches China's comprehensive national strength and international status, deepen cultural exchanges and mutual learning, and promote Chinese culture to better go global is a new issue faced by our party and country. As an important carrier of cultural exchange, studying abroad in China is undoubtedly an important part of the international dissemination system of Chinese culture. Therefore, we should attach great importance to and do a good job in national education for international students studying in China.
The Importance of Building a National Education System for International Students in China
As an integral part of the socialist education system with Chinese characteristics, education for international students studying in China should be based on promoting human civilization progress and serving the national development strategy. We should coordinate the construction of the national education system for international students studying in China, and do a good job in national education for international students studying in China with Chinese characteristics.
The construction of the national education system for international students studying in China will undoubtedly enrich the connotation of ideological and political education in China. The starting point and destination of national education for international students studying in China, as well as the special characteristics of the group of international students studying in China, determine that the work of national education for international students studying in China must undertake the function and obligation of civilized exchange and mutual learning. On the one hand, national education for international students studying in China aims to change their ignorance and misunderstanding of China and Chinese culture (Feng Jie, 2017). As early as 1950, when the first batch of international students entered China, Premier Zhou Enlai put forward the principles of "strict requirements for learning, serious assistance; positive political influence, not imposed on others; appropriate care in daily life, and serious management", which also apply to the practice of national education for international students in China. On the other hand, national education for international students studying in China should organically incorporate relevant content such as excellent traditional Chinese culture and customs, cross-cultural communication, etc., in order to improve their cross-cultural communication skills and avoid cross-cultural conflicts and contradictions.
The construction of the national education system for international students studying in China is a requirement of the times to enhance China's international communication capabilities. In the context of globalization, international communication capability, as an important manifestation of national soft power, is increasingly valued by countries. China's international communication capabilities have achieved remarkable results in the past few decades, with significant improvements in guiding the story of China, promoting media integration and development, influencing international public opinion struggles, and enhancing the credibility of international brand building (Shen Bin, Zhang Rui, Lu Wei, 2020). At the same time, the international public opinion pattern of "strong in the west and weak in the west" has not fundamentally changed, and China's international communication capacity is not commensurate with its socio-economic development level (Wei Haisheng, Liang Yi, 2022). Regarding the current new situation in the world, the report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China pointed out that hegemonic and hegemonic behaviors such as bullying the weak, seizing power, and zero sum games pose serious risks. The deficits in peace, development, security, and governance have intensified, posing unprecedented challenges to human society. The new era of the intersection of world changes, era changes, and historical changes has put forward higher requirements for international communication capabilities. It is urgent to establish a sound, efficient, and perfect international communication system with Chinese characteristics. In terms of national education for international students studying in China, the group of international students studying in China is not only the target audience of current national education for international students studying in China, but also a potential force for spreading China's ideas, wisdom, and solutions in the future. Compared to international individuals from abroad, international students studying in China have inherent advantages in terms of psychological attention, recognition, and acceptance of China and Chinese culture. Because they are in China, they have more opportunities to experience and understand the real, three-dimensional, and comprehensive China through firsthand experience. A positive and sound national education system for international students studying in China is beneficial for us to "make more friends, continuously expand our international public opinion circle of knowing China, use our boats to go abroad, use our mouths to speak, and promote the" Chinese voice "to undergo" local transformation "in relevant countries" (Wei Haisheng, Liang Yi, 2022).
The construction of the national education system for international students studying in China is an effective guarantee for improving the quality and efficiency of studying in China. In October 2018, the Ministry of Education issued the "Quality Standards for Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial)", marking a new stage of improving quality and efficiency in China's international education. The "Quality Standards for Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial)" clarifies the talent cultivation goals of international students in China from four aspects: subject and professional level, understanding and understanding of China, language ability, cross-cultural and global competence. In terms of understanding and comprehension of China, it is required that international students studying in China should be familiar with China's history, geography, society, economy, and other basic knowledge of China's national conditions and culture, understand China's political system and foreign policy, understand the mainstream values and public morality of Chinese society, and form a good concept of rule of law and moral consciousness. This training objective is listed as the second most important aspect of talent cultivation for studying abroad in China, second only to the professional level of students in their respective disciplines. On the one hand, actively improving national education for international students studying in China can enable them to have a deep understanding of China's national conditions and culture, enhance their cross-cultural adaptability, effectively avoid cross-cultural conflicts or misunderstandings, and shorten their integration cycle into Chinese society. The study abroad experiences or experiences of international students in China come more from their interaction with Chinese society and the Chinese people. The national education system for international students filled with humanistic care will create more opportunities for positive interaction and improve their study abroad experience in China. On the other hand, national education for international students studying in China can fundamentally and effectively alleviate their ideological concerns, ensure their normal learning and life in China, and inevitably help them fully immerse themselves in the study of professional knowledge, enhance their understanding of professional knowledge, and thus achieve a virtuous cycle of efficient and high-quality campus learning.
The construction of the national education system for international students studying in China is a practical requirement for the management of international students studying in China. From a macro perspective, the management and enrollment of international students in China are two aspects of the same progress and retreat in international education in China. Only when the management level and enrollment quality of international students in China are on par can the sustainable and healthy development of international education in China be guaranteed. The quality of national education for international students studying in China is an important indicator of their management level; The improvement of management level for international students studying in China also depends on the effective implementation of national education for international students studying in China. From a micro perspective, international students studying in China are easily affected by unfavorable factors such as language proficiency limitations, differences in educational background and growth environment, and difficulties in cultural adaptation, which can lead to difficulties in learning, emotions, and health (Wu Huihan, 2020). Under the conditions of new media networks, the unpredictable international public opinion environment and mixed information channels pose great challenges to the management of international students studying in China, especially in the work of national education for international students studying in China. Therefore, only a high-quality and efficient national education system for international students studying in China can clear the potential risks and difficulties in managing international students from an ideological perspective, ensure the steady improvement of their management level, and safeguard the connotative development of international education in China in the new era.
The main issues in current national education for international students studying in China
In fact, from the beginning of studying abroad in China, the practice of national education for international students has never been interrupted. However, due to varying degrees of emphasis on national education for international students studying in China, some universities tend to focus on fragmented and arbitrary daily management, lacking systematic theoretical research on national education for international students studying in China. As a result, the overall lack of guiding principles has affected the development of national education for international students studying in China.
The polarization of understanding of national education for international students studying in China. In the practice of national education for international students studying in China, we have observed a significant polarization phenomenon. On the one hand, some universities or international student management departments regard national education for international students in China as a hot potato, unilaterally using sensitive topics as a reason to give up, or with a mentality of completing prescribed tasks in a simple and hasty manner, making national education for international students in China exist in name only or superficial. On the other hand, some universities or international student management departments blindly apply rote methods to educate international students in China, which not only fails to achieve the expected results, but may even have the opposite effect (Huang Yu, 2020).
The construction of the national education team for international students studying in China needs to be strengthened. The particularity of national education for international students studying in China also puts forward higher requirements for team building. At present, there are no guiding documents specifically designed for the construction of national education teams for international students studying in China, whether at the national, regional, or school levels. The existing training programs for management personnel of international students in China focus more on improving their abilities in foreign language, daily management, and emergency handling, while neglecting the supplement of knowledge related to international education development laws, cross-cultural communication skills, and teaching methods related to national education for international students. This is not conducive to the growth of management personnel of international students in China and affects the effectiveness of national education for international students in China. At the same time, due to the lack of a homogenized management system for international students studying in China, many affairs that should have been undertaken by society or functional departments on campus are imposed on retention officials in an "unlimited responsibility" manner, causing them, who should have been the main force of national education for international students studying in China, to fall into a large amount of transactional work, which to some extent affects the systematic development of national education for international students studying in China.
The research on national education for international students studying in China is insufficient. A strong theoretical arm can better guide practice. The development of national education for international students studying in China cannot be separated from complete theoretical support, but the special research on national education for international students studying in China still has a long way to go. The author found that the vast majority of existing literature focuses on student education and teaching in China, covering various levels and fields of education in China. Relevant theoretical research tends to mature and has a high degree of integration with social development. Relatively speaking, the theoretical research on national education for international students studying in China has just begun, lacking theoretical depth, and the volume of literature directly related to international students studying in China is relatively small. It is gratifying that the "Study Abroad in China Plan" issued by the Ministry of Education in 2010 clearly stated the need to "strengthen education on Chinese laws and regulations, excellent traditional culture, and national conditions, and help international students objectively understand the development of Chinese society." While clarifying the core positioning of national education for international students in China, it also promoted the output of research results related to national education theory for international students in China. In recent years, more and more scholars have begun to pay attention to the work of national education for international students in China. Although there is still huge development space in theoretical research, it also indirectly reflects that the Chinese education community has begun more meaningful explorations and attempts in the top-level design and theoretical practice of the national education system for international students in China.
Exploration of the National Education Model for International Students in China
Enhance awareness of the importance of national education for international students studying in China. This has pointed out the direction and high expectations for national education for international students studying in China. Firstly, our education departments at all levels should have a unified understanding, improve their political stance, and strategically coordinate the construction of the national education system for international students studying in China. Relevant guiding documents should be issued as soon as possible to provide institutional guarantees for relevant schools and departments to carry out national education for international students studying in China. Secondly, education on the national conditions of international students studying in China should be based on the actual development of education in China and the characteristics of the international student population, and explore the path of education on the national conditions of international students studying in China that is suitable for China's national conditions.
Build a strong national education team for international students studying in China. The construction of the national education team for international students studying in China is a long-term and complex task. Firstly, higher requirements should be placed on the comprehensive abilities of national education workers for international students studying in China, including their political level, moral character, cultural literacy, and professional knowledge. In the education of national conditions for international students studying in China, our "example teaching" is more important than "words and deeds". Listening is believing, seeing is believing. International students are more willing to believe in the real Chinese people and society they see. Every teacher engaged in national education for international students in China should have a high sense of responsibility, strictly discipline themselves, lead by example, and inspire international students through words and deeds, striving to achieve a silent and nourishing effect on national education for international students in China. There is a poetic and scholarly atmosphere in the abdomen, and only by diligently practicing internal skills and strengthening their theoretical level and cultural cultivation can educators of the national conditions of international students in China be more polite, dignified, and relaxed in their work. Secondly, it is necessary to establish and improve a long-term mechanism for the training of national education teams for international students studying in China. The construction of the national education team for international students studying in China cannot be achieved overnight. Only by focusing on their own duties and keeping pace with the times can we continuously enrich the connotation of national education for international students studying in China, improve the alignment between national education for international students and the international political and economic landscape, and make national education for international students not only warm but also down-to-earth.
Strengthen research investment in national education for international students studying in China. The research on the theory of national education for international students studying in China is a "must answer question" that China faces in the context of the new era. At present, relevant theoretical research is sporadic and immature, unable to effectively support the construction of a high-quality national education system for international students in China. This requires us to actively increase investment in theoretical research on national education for international students in China, and comprehensively promote the development of relevant theoretical research from various aspects such as funding and manpower. On the one hand, it is necessary to encourage educators studying abroad in China to summarize and summarize successful practical experiences in national education for international students, and extract typical practices that are worth promoting and have strong operability; On the other hand, we support more ideological and political education workers to collaborate with frontline education workers studying abroad in China, exploring and utilizing the advantages and resources of the existing research system.
Innovate the form of national education for international students studying in China. The work of national education for international students studying in China should not be mechanical theoretical indoctrination, but rather an equal and two-way cultural exchange. Indeed, only by allowing international students to have a more firsthand experience of the development achievements of contemporary Chinese society can they fully feel the real, three-dimensional, and comprehensive China. To achieve the goal of convincing people with reason, culture, and morality, we need to provide various convenient channels through national education for international students studying in China, allowing them to delve deeper into Chinese society. The vivid examples and real data that can be seen and touched are often more convincing.
In short, the current work of national education for international students in China still has a long way to go. Establishing a high-quality and efficient system and mechanism for national education for international students in China is an urgent task in the new era. In the exploration process of national education for international students studying in China, we should create a new situation of national education for international students with a spirit of integrity and innovation, and truly take root with the humanistic sentiment of "one family under heaven". We should pay attention to grasping the tone, be both open and confident, humble and humble, and strive to shape a trustworthy, lovely, and respectable image of China.