The number of Chinese students enrolling in Finnish higher education institutions has increased dramatically, but few studies have attempted to understand the academic acculturation of Chinese students in Finland, particularly at the doctoral level. Consequently, the aim of this study is to explore how Chinese doctoral students integrate into Finnish learning environment. Data in this study were collected using the case study approach. The findings revealed that although the participants encountered many challenges, they acknowledged that these challenges were temporary and natural. As a result of intercultural learning, they formed a new sense of self and acquired an intercultural learner identity. It is worth noting that although the acculturation process is a two-way change, it might take time for changes in the host university to mature and become apparent.
Aittola, H. (2017) “Doctoral education reform in Finland: institutionalized and individualized doctoral studies within European framework”. European Journal of Higher Education 7, 3, 309–321.
https://doi.org/10.1080/21568235.2017.1290883
Alhojailan, M. I. (2012) “Thematic analysis: a critical review of its process and evaluation”. West East Journal of Social Sciences 1, 1, 39–47.
Bai, J. (2016) “Perceived support as a predictor of acculturative stress among international students in the United States”. Journal of International Students 6, 1, 93–106.
https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v6i1.483
BBC News (2013) Available online at
<http://english.cri.cn/7046/2013/03/05/167s751821_1.htm>. Accessed on 18 April 2019.
Berry, J. W. (2005) “Acculturation: living successfully in two cultures”. International Journal of Intercultural Relations 29, 6, 697–712.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2005.07.013
Berry, J. W. (1997) “Immigration, acculturation, and adaptation”. Applied Psychology 46, 1, 5–34.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.1997.tb01087.x
Braun, V. and V. Clarke (2006) “Using thematic analysis in psychology”. Qualitative Research in Psychology 3, 2, 77–101.
https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Cheng, H. Y., H. L. Andrade, and Z. Yan (2011) “A cross-cultural study of learning behaviours in the classroom: from a thinking style perspective”. Educational Psychology 31, 7, 825–841.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2011.608526
Cheung-Blunden, V. L. and L. P. Juang (2008) “Expanding acculturation theory: are acculturation models and the adaptiveness of acculturation strategies generalizable in a colonial context?”. International Journal of Behavioral Development 32, 1, 21–33.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025407084048
CIMO (Centre for International Mobility). Statistics on international mobility periods of higher education students in Finland 2017. Available online at
<https://www.oph.fi/sites/default/files/documents/167121_factsexpress9b_2018_0.pdf>. Accessed on 12 May 2019
Cornér, S., K. Pyhältö, J. Peltonen, and S. E. Bengtsen (2018) “Similar or different? Researcher community and supervisory support experiences among Danish and Finnish social sciences and humanities PhD students”. Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education 19, 2, 274–295.
https://doi.org/10.1108/SGPE-D-18-00003
Flyvbjerg, B. (2011) “Case study”. In N. K. Denzin and Y. S. Lincoln, eds. The Sage handbook of qualitative research, 301–316. 4th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Gan, Z. (2009) “‘Asian learners’ re-examined: an empirical study of language learning attitudes, strategies and motivation among mainland Chinese and Hong Kong students”. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 30, 1, 41–58.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01434630802307890
Gill, S. (2007) “Overseas students’ intercultural adaptation as intercultural learning: a transformative framework”. Compare 37, 2, 167–183.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03057920601165512
Gong, Y. and S. Chang (2007) “The relationships of cross-cultural adjustment with dispositional learning orientation and goal setting: a longitudinal analysis”. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 38, 1, 19–25.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022106295438
Hodkinson, C. S. and A. E. Poropat (2014) “Chinese students’ participation: the effect of cultural factors”. Education + Training 56, 5, 430–446.
https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-04-2013-0057
Kivistö, J., E. Pekkola, and T. Siekkinen (2017) “Latest reforms in Finnish doctoral education in light of recent European developments”. European Journal of Higher Education 7, 3, 291–308.
https://doi.org/10.1080/21568235.2017.1290881
Li, H. and P. Pitkänen (2018) “Understanding the integration of mainland Chinese students: the case of Finland”. Nordic Journal of Migration Research 8, 2, 107–115.
https://doi.org/10.1515/njmr-2018-0008
Marshall, C. and G. B. Rossman (2006) Designing qualitative research. 4th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
McMahon, P. (2011) “Chinese voices: Chinese learners and their experiences of living and studying in the United Kingdom”. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management 33, 4, 401–414.
https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2011.585739
Mesidor, J. K. and K. F. Sly (2016) “Factors that contribute to the adjustment of international students”. Journal of International Students 6, 1, 262–282.
https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v6i1.569
Misra, R., M. Crist, and C. J. Burant (2003) “Relationships among life stress, social support, academic stressors, and reactions to stressors of international students in the United States”. International Journal of Stress Management 10, 2, 137–157.
https://doi.org/10.1037/1072-5245.10.2.137
Pappa, S., M. Elomaa, and S. Perälä-Littunen (2020) “Sources of stress and scholarly identity: the case of international doctoral students of education in Finland”. Higher Education 1, 2, 1–20.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-019-00473-6
Pyhältö, K., A. Toom, J. Stubb, and K. Lonka (2012) “Challenges of becoming a scholar: a study of doctoral students’ problems and well-being”. International Scholarly Research Network Education 12, 1–12.
https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/934941
Rao, N. and C. K. K. Chan (2009) “Moving beyond paradoxes: understanding Chinese learners and their teachers”. In C. K. K. Chan and N. Rao, eds. Revisiting the Chinese learner. changing contexts, changing education, 3–32. Hong Kong: The University of Hong Kong, China, Comparative Education Research Centre.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3840-1_1
Russell, J., D. Rosenthal, and G. Thomson (2010) “The international student experience: three styles of adaptation”. Higher Education: The International Journal of Higher Education and Educational Planning 60, 2, 235–249.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-009-9297-7
Samuelowicz, K. (1987) “Learning problems of overseas students: two sides of a story”. Higher Education Research and Development 6, 2, 121–133.
https://doi.org/10.1080/0729436870060204
Schwartz, S. J., J. B. Unger, B. L. Zamboanga, and J. Szapocznik (2010) “Rethinking the concept of acculturation: implications for theory and research”. American Psychologist 65, 4, 237–251.
https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019330
Tavakol, M. and R. Dennick (2010) “Are Asian international medical students just rote learners?”. Advances in health sciences education 15, 3, 369–377.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-009-9203-1
Wang, L. (2019) The learning experiences of Chinese postgraduate students at the University of Eastern Finland. Doctoral dissertation, University of Eastern Finland. Available online at
<https://erepo.uef.fi/handle/123456789/22099>. Accessed on 18 May 2019.
Wang, L. H. (2010) Chinese postgraduate Students in a British university: their learning experiences and learning beliefs. Doctoral dissertation, Durham University. Available online at
<http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/196/>. Accessed on 18 June 2019.
Wang, L. and M. Byram (2018) “International doctoral students’ experience of supervision: a case study in a Chinese university”. Cambridge Journal of Education 49, 3, 255–274.
https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2018.1518405
Yan, K. (2008) Chinese international students’ stressors and coping strategies in the United States. Doctoral dissertation, Arizona State University. Available online at
<https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9789811033452>. Accessed on 20 June 2019.
Yin, R. K. (2009) Case study research: design and methods. 4th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Zhao, Y. (2007) “Cultural conflicts in an intercultural classroom discourse and interpretations from a cultural perspective”. Intercultural Communication Studies 16, 1, 129–136.
Zhu, J. (2012) Academic adjustment of Chinese students at German universities. Doctoral Dissertation, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Available online at
<https://www.academia.edu/21272227/Academic_adjustment_of_Chinese_students_at_German_universities>. Accessed on 25 March 2019.
