Students expressed motivation to study in the UK because of its positive “academic atmosphere” [S9], and stated that “for Chinese students the most important thing for choosing university is the ranking, ranking in the world and in the UK” [S2]. Therefore, the university’s position within the top 20 in the UK was significant. Two students applied after meeting programme leaders and administrators on a visit to China; one had a connection via a former teacher who recommended the course following take-up by previous students. These connections enabling application to the programme correspond to those of students in research by Yakaboski, Rizzolo and Ouyand (2017). Those studying Community Music noted a lack of comparable programmes in China and Hong Kong, and the appeal of the flexibility of module choice. Furthermore, most said that in addition to enhancing employment prospects the MA would accelerate their progress, academically and financially, as MA programmes in China and Hong Kong tend to be of two or three years duration4; one student noted that “it’s really important to come here, because it will not be too much progress in China because it’s all kind of the same and the time is longer; here is really effective for me and a really different learning experience” [S6]. While Choi (2012) found that the most influential factors for East Asian international students’ choice of music programme in the United States were the reputation of the professor and programme, and scholarships, these students also noted the programme duration and content. Choi’s respondents appeared less concerned with breadth of cultural experience and were more concerned to gain specialist subject knowledge.

In addition to improving their English language skills, these students hoped to broaden their cultural awareness, some using the UK as a base for European travel; they wanted to become more independent, to develop friendship skills and more able to accept different viewpoints. It was felt that as piano is a Western instrument, studying it in the UK might provide “more original methods” [S6] than in China; likewise, classical singing was connected to its European heritage [S8] and jazz to Western expertise [S2]. It was noted that there were few jazz teachers in China, so the UK was a better place to support this interest [S2]. These correspondences of music and expertise were also expressed by Chinese students choosing to study Western music in an American university (YAKABOSKI; RIZZOLO: OUYAND, 2017). The UK participants hoped to gain theoretical and practical understanding of their subject, to develop leadership, communication and fundraising skills (Community Music), and noted the appeal of the practical nature of the Performance and Piano Studies programmes and the opportunity to participate in many ensembles.

All nine students acknowledged financial and emotional support from their families. Most had no siblings and were the first in their family to study overseas; they mentioned that their parents understood the importance of the UK qualification, the quality of the degree and its subsequent value to the student and therefore to the family, and the importance of breadth of experience. Huang (2012) observed that Western classical music can be perceived as a tool for social mobility; Comeau, Huta and Liu (2014) and Petersen (2018) recognized the support of the family for those learning music; participants in Petersen’s study revealing the importance of grandparents as well as parents to their music study. In this research, students’ families financed extra English tuition to help them achieve the IELTS qualification, and helped them find advisers and guidance on studying abroad.

It was thought that “many parents encourage their children to study piano, singing and other instruments in China. They regard music as an interest or something beneficial to children’s development” [S2]. The parents of those participating in this study seemed positive about the value of music as a career; although S8, who previously studied Economics, explained that she had to convince her parents:

Actually they rejected me to do a music course in the past, but I just showed them my endurance, my effort, and they just want to send me for completing my dream. They don’t have a lot of expectations for me, at this moment, but they have already seen my efforts and my progress so they are happy about that.

This student felt that:

As I’m happy about my study or my career path they think it’s alright. I want to go back and find a normal office work that’s not badly paid and then I can have spare time to do any performance and just change to a music path like music teaching or singing teaching, gradually, and they also accept such a thinking.

However, she also thought that:

Normal people will find music not a good career. The music students … mainly go to small music shops to teach children … and they don’t think it’s a very good career, but my singing teacher said music is a good career now, especially singing – ‘you won’t be starved!’ [S8].

Several students thought that the “best choice” of music career possibilities in China is to be a university teacher or performer; however, “not every student can be a university teacher” [S1] as this requires a PhD, even for instrumental or vocal teaching. Therefore, many music graduates work in primary or secondary schools where salaries are “relatively low” [S1], but “it’s hard for music students to find jobs they are satisfied with in China” [S1] due to the amount of competition. Most participants mentioned the financial cost of their UK studies and hoped to get a job in which would enable them to reimburse their parents for some of their UK fees and living expenses.

Students’ discussion of their previous study helps to contextualize their transition to UK study. Their accounts of undergraduate study in China and Hong Kong indicate a highly competitive selection process in which applicants decide on a specialism such as musicology, composition, education or music production and must pass several levels of examination in the specialist area plus other subjects in order to gain a place. For conservatoire study there were three levels:

You pass the first, then you go to the second, then several tests are together, you pass the second, then you go to the third, and after you finished the third they will tell you that you passed the arts part of your examination, then you go to the study part – your Chinese, maths, English, everything, then you need to put them together to go to a conservatory [S7].

These students reported that their Music degree consisted of three years of compulsory and elective modules and a fourth year concentrating on a dissertation. Performance students received weekly one-to-one lessons in addition to lectures, and their recitals of etudes and standard Western classical repertoire were assessed by a panel of around eight piano teachers two/three times a year. All students studied numerous compulsory courses which included Western and Chinese music history, analysis, teaching, harmony, plus English, politics, Chinese literature and mathematics and other subjects. Passing the courses was essential: “I remember in my year 2 or 3, in a week I’ve got seven essays to write … you need to get the credits from optional courses” [S7]. The main subject and other compulsory courses were assessed by termly formal examinations. While options of examination or essay existed, the choice was the prerogative of the lecturer, not the student: “the most important evaluation method in China is examination” [S2]. These also applied to the performance masters courses in China; S4 reported the pressure of increased examination attainment requirements for each term, being required to pass with a mark higher than 60% in the first semester, then over 70% and over 80% in subsequent semesters.

In relation to their Chinese undergraduate and masters courses, these students experienced large lecture groups of 20-300 students which reinforced the power of the teacher and inhibited group discussion. Only rarely would students observe the work of their peers: most learning seems to have taken place as an individual within the group setting, or in isolation in practice rooms. These students reported having an academic supervisor only in the fourth year of undergraduate study or the third year of masters study for the dissertation; they would have appreciated more individual support, and felt that “in China we have too many students in universities and the teaching resources are sometimes limited” [S2].

These comments suggest that music students in China and Hong Kong are expected to maintain a rigorous approach to study within a pressurized and competitive environment, supported by their families but at the same time aware of the importance of their success to the whole family. Their comments indicate extensive time spent on subsidiary subjects to gain entry to higher education as well as the continued importance of successful results in these to complete a Music degree.

a) Academic study: cohort size, supervisor relationship, feedback and facilities

These students described study at the UK institution as more advanced than comparable programmes in China, and highlighted the relevance of programme content. The small size of the UK institution’s cohorts (maximum 12 students for this sample) was deemed positive, giving “more time to discuss, to have interactions with your lecturer or other students” [S3]; therefore, “I learned much more than I supposed within one year” [S9]. Their study at the UK institution changed their perceptions of study in China: “Chinese students should be encouraged to have more group discussion and group activities” [S2], with greater peer cooperation and teamwork.

Several students mentioned the support of UK departmental administrative staff and of their supervisor: “my supervisor helped me a lot ... but if I’m in China I can’t talk to my tutors so many times, I can’t improve my knowledge very quickly” [S9]. One student from Hong Kong noted increased individual supervision in this institution, which contrasted with her previous Music MA in Hong Kong, where she felt “no one will care about your progress; you just submit your assignments” [S8]. Students also appreciated the relative informality of the UK student-supervisor relationship: “the teacher with the student here is so family, just like friends, but in China it’s so different … not very close” [S1]. The supervisors in the UK institution gave “many instructions and suggestions” [S2]; “always give me some ideas” [S1], might find resources, and “always show a positive attitude toward my essays or ideas – he gives me much confidence” [S2]. This suggests a mentoring style of relationship as advocated by Leong (2010); additionally, perceptions of high expectations from staff for both research and performance provided increased motivation. Students also noted the importance of personal feedback from their UK supervisor: “I like the report here, where we get feedback, we know where we can improve, it’s very important for us, but we don’t have this in my university in China” [S5]. In China, students were awarded a numerical pass or fail mark, with no additional information. The detailed individual UK feedback was valued.

Students appreciated facilities including the 24-hour library and the department’s studios and collection of instruments, which included harpsichords, fortepiano and organs. The facilities also enabled a more practical approach to learning than previously; for example, gamelan and African drumming workshops in the Community Music MA created holistic understanding, rather than purely abstract knowledge of the instruments, such as their range and notation requirements [S7].

b) Performance studies: teaching and repertoire

Differences emerged between these students’ experience of performance studies in China and Hong Kong and at the UK institution, both in one-to-one lessons and in the taught programme content. During their UK MA, performance students received regular one-to-one lessons with a piano/vocal teacher plus weekly group sessions and individual tutorials with their programme leader, who also oversaw and coached performance, and helped them prepare for their termly assessed recitals, each requiring a written commentary. It was felt that studying in this UK music department “helps you become a more academic player” [S6]:

In China it was more about patience with techniques, but I think [there] it ignores a lot of stuff like detail about piano practice, or listening, and pedalling, or fingering, or other very tiny problems, which is kind of important parts within piano practice [S6].

This student expanded on her comment: “here, practice is more complicated … I’ve learned lots about hearing, pedal, or the finger legato and the music tone – the different ways for touching the keys” [S6]. This was informed by listening to recordings, and through recording oneself and listening back [S6]. This student observed: “here you need to be thinking … more about the musical expressivity and the character and the composer’s instructions and the structure”. In China, the “teacher will give you some suggestions and she will say ‘I like that’ or ‘I don’t like that’ or ‘I wouldn’t do that’ or ‘I’d change that’” [S4]; this student thought that her UK teachers “have absolutely higher requirements for how you deal with music, how you understand and get the appropriate understanding for the music, and especially musical expressivity”.

Furthermore, the UK course gave students a new outlook on repertoire. Previously, repertoire was almost always chosen by the teacher [S1, S2, S4, S6] and usually focused on the “most popular composers” [S6]; those who had some freedom in choosing repertoire noted their choices were closely moderated by their teachers [S3, S5]. Students felt that all pianists would “play almost the same; the only process they learn is piano” [S6]; it was difficult for them “to be more detailed or more individual” so they were “routine” [S6], whereas on this MA course students realized that “we need to think more so that you have got your own style” [S6]. Previous repertoire for these pianists comprised Western classical pieces, particularly those by Bach, Chopin and Liszt, and some hybrid compositions including piano versions of traditional Chinese music. One student discussed the expansion of her repertoire through playing contemporary music in the UK institution’s piano ensemble: “At the beginning it was really weird or abstract for me to understand but … I can handle it a little bit now” [S6]. This provided “something different, unique” [S6]. Conversely, another pianist expressed reservations about contemporary music: “I don’t like it! And I’m not that good with … complicated fingerings and rhythmic patterns … [I’ve] not yet quite got the mental preparation for accepting these things” [S4]. While one student thought that Chinese teachers acknowledged the importance of new repertoire, it was also suggested that “one thing that [Chinese] teachers don’t want to teach is the new pieces because they don’t have that much knowledge about [them]” [S5] and therefore “in China the contemporary music is really rare” [S6]. The UK institution provided a chance to expand repertoire; it also could contribute subsequent distinctiveness when students returned to a culture where “we’ve got too many Chinese piano students” [S6].

While performance was seen to be “really demanding here, much more than before” [S6], and to require considerable daily practice, it was deemed positive. Students thought that staff took time to explain, clarify and encourage all aspects of performance, and had elevated students’ learning: “they really help you to find your potential” [S4]. One student taking piano lessons alongside her Community Music MA remarked: “when I come to here at first I feel so totally different but now I really love here, I love this style” [S1]. Another student also mentioned participating in performance workshops which included sessions on performance anxiety: “I think my previous singing teacher may ignore this problem! But here [through these opportunities] … I think I have more confidence and less anxiety” [S8].

These comments suggest that these students developed understanding of both the musical works and of their approaches to learning. Although they experienced less focus on technique than in China, students were expanding their repertoire and developing creative, critically informed interpretations with greater awareness of individuality, and of strategies to support performance. Further research would be needed to determine whether these findings would be representative within a larger sample, working with a greater range of teachers, and whether these differences are the result of progression from undergraduate to MA level, or whether they would also be present in China when comparing undergraduate and MA study.

c) Challenges experienced by students from China and Hong Kong

Despite the positive factors of opportunities and contact with staff, students experienced academic challenges: “it is not easy to get high marks in UK because of different language, thinking pattern and the rigorous academic atmosphere in UK”. Participants felt that “the way of thinking is quite different” [S5] and required considerable adjustment, as well as the development of focus and independence: “normally in China … the teacher will tell you what you should do now, and what you should do next … but here it’s totally your business and you need to keep the rhythm of the study” [S4].

Those studying performance also noted expansion of their conception of learning: “in China … the teacher always teaches the student how to play it but only the technical part, not so many critical thinking” whereas “here is more focused on the details, and so many different ways, different angles to think about the music, but in China there’s not so many … paths to choose” [S5]. These students delineated a predominantly instructive approach to their previous performance tuition in China: “[the] teacher will say “do it like this way” and they play that for you and then you imitate … in China we just follow the teacher” [S4], whereas in the UK institution they needed ‘informed knowledge’ and to develop independent thinking:

n China, the teacher will focus on some technical problems … for the musical expressivity they always give you some clear suggestions, like this is where you need some more space or there you need to keep flowing, but normally they won’t spend too much time about why you need more space or what is the music style and what is the character … they won’t explain much … but in here, we need to be thinking about that independently! [S4]

This approach was welcomed: “I haven’t had this class in China, and for me it’s really fresh and kind of demanding” [S6]. A singer was also encouraged to take a more holistic and scholarly interest in her music:

My singing lessons in Hong Kong focused more on the technical skills instead of any interpretations but here [my teacher] always explained what the lyrics are about and how I should … position myself into the piece; what character … it’s more about understanding of the piece and how to interpret it … [and] about improving my vocal skills, so it’s more all-rounded here. […] now I think a lot about how I should interpret the song in a … meaningful way, more closer to the composer’s [intentions] … there are a lot of informations that I have to know after doing my degree here! [S8]

While students noted that the course leader “taught us a lot about the creativity thinking, or more interpretation of ideas, and I think this helps me a lot” [S6], they also expressed expectations of greater input from themselves: “here I think you need to think more about your pieces, or more about the creative or sometimes even critical or interpretation ideas” [S6]; which extended to “the interpretation … the marks, are they more the composer’s intentions, or the player’s?” [S6]. Playing instruments previously unavailable to these students such as the harpsichord and fortepiano could develop “inspiration”, as “you cannot put too much force in there … I will [consider] … the sound and the dynamic range … it gives me quite a precious experience” [S4]. Consequently, “another thing I learned here is I know why I play like that way … maybe because of the instrument” [S5]. Therefore, historical and procedural awareness contributed to developing performative understanding.

This process was supported by performance teachers and lecturers and through listening to recordings, although this could create some anxiety: “In China … when I want to judge if my playing is correct or not I maybe listen to the recordings”, but here “I need to know if it’s correct or not, so sometimes I’m just worried about this” [S5]. Another student felt that in China, “people … believe some books or recordings … [or] what teacher or master told them to do … here it’s got more strong personal ideas about the music” [S6]. Students felt that the programme leader “wants you to create … your own version and not just follow the opinion of another person” [S4]; this could be effected through a multi-stage process:

I think the first stage is like more copy, or something you need to input in your head, and then you can do some processing thinking and then you can come up with something by yourself, but I think the necessary progress is you need to get a lot of information and then you process. You need to listen more and read more than you could [S6].

Through this process, ideas of correctness and authority in performance could be challenged: “there is space for me to develop the personal character … I have my own idea about the piece” [S5], whereas “in China we didn’t consider that too much, we just conquer the technical problems, play all the notes accurate, play the right rhythms, and then for expressivity just look for teacher’s opinion or follow the recording of some CD versions” [S4]. Additionally, in the UK institution, students were encouraged to “contrast different editions … I have a lot of fun from it, it’s interesting” [S5] which could promote intellectual engagement with the material as well as technical and interpretive consideration. This could mean that learning felt less restricted: “compared with China, I feel more freedom here” [S7]; it could also lead to enhanced performance confidence: “I enjoy the process because I can be more confident to stand on the stage because I know the piece well, instead of just singing and I just know the melodies and nothing!” [S8].

However, one participant noted that while a questioning mindset was the norm for her lecturer, it could be otherwise for students: “some international students find it difficult to understand the way of thinking … some habitual way of thinking will be denied, and get some new way of thinking” [S4]. This was challenging:

I have not much courage for choosing this … When I’m applying this I need a little bit more time to digest … it’s not easy for me to change the habitual thought … I spent almost one year for fitting this way of thinking and fitting the atmosphere here [S4].

A singer progressed through these challenges using detailed study of recordings, editions and song texts: “I have to understand how the Western culture would interpret the text instead of just my own interpretation” [S8]. She also learnt to question her supervisor’s ideas:

[X] says that ‘this is right, this is wrong’ but … I look for information on my own, and sometimes I’ve found [x’s] suggestion is quite reasonable after reading, but sometimes I think it may not be true … I think my conclusion has challenged [x’s] thought! [S8].

This created a working relationship in which she could articulate and accept different viewpoints, contrasting with the previous teaching style experienced by another student in China where: “normally we will like to imitate what [teachers] play, but not put forward some challenge … we just follow the teacher … not really thinking about what I do that, why the teacher does that … we just imitate someone in our practice” [S4]. Through extensive reading S8 reached a position that accommodated divergence: “we can’t just put our conclusions on one side, sometimes, because there may be possibilities to be on the other side”. More research with a larger sample will be useful to determine whether these findings result from particular individual teaching styles, student attitudes towards learning, or other factors.

In both performance and academic studies the differences encountered by these students between practices in the UK and in China were most apparent when engaging with critical thinking. Just one student felt that her Chinese lecturers had been prepared to accept different views, but felt that this was rare: “I know lots of universities are not like this!” [S7]. It was thought that difficulties in engaging in critical thinking resulted from the Chinese education system, and related crucially to undergraduate university entrance: “if you answer critically or on the wrong path you won’t get a good result and then you can’t enter a good university” [S2]. Students were previously trained to believe that “the contents in books are all right and authoritative” [S9], and to “respect the writer” [S9]; therefore, “no matter where I am, England or China, critical reading is really difficult for me” [S9]. Several students felt that this was stressful: “I always see that word and it gives me a headache! I’m just not used to thinking a lot; I’m still trying to work on it” [S3]. Another student noted that “I never considered those sort of questions before … my teacher in China didn’t, would never ask these questions in this way” [S4].

When asked how they were learning to use critical thinking, one student stated that “the meaning of critical thinking is from the different points of view … I need to understand why I think this way, and then think from the opposite way” [S5]. Previously, S8 “just grabbed somebody’s ideas and … didn’t check a lot of the opposite arguments”, but now detailed a more sophisticated awareness:

I think my own idea is also built up from what I have read and how I interpret them, whether they are right or wrong and then I generate my own idea from the resources I have looked at. And so I may have more independent thinking after reading more and looking for more … now I can think more deeply on a question [S8].

This student felt that learning how to develop this approach was inspired by her lecturer:

…when we discuss the commentary he has quite a lot of suggestions and on the direction that I need to think about, so I have different directions, I have more in-depth, more meaningful direction to look for, instead of in the past I just depend on my own and then I was thinking about very simple questions and very simple directions, so I think that’s the main difference – what I look for, the way that I think was more simple, in the past [S8].

Through this process, students could develop originality, although they felt that “it depends on the topic … if it’s a topic that I’m familiar with, I come up with new ideas easily” [S3], and would also depend on the extent of knowledge: “I think I should read more articles, then I can compare these and I can have my thought. I think the most important thing is to gain knowledge from books or experience” [S2]. S3 now felt that she could “just let the books become my references and express my own ideas, using my own knowledge”. The importance of originality for academic assessment was recognised: ‘we need to prepare what other people say, but the most important thing is to give your opinion, otherwise it’s not your essay, it’s not valuable’ [S7].

Invariably, students described difficulties with the English language which affected both academic work and their social lives. Having previously experienced lecture-style teaching where “you just write notes, you don’t need to answer any questions in the class” [S4], even the more confident students with previous experience of overseas study encountered difficulties: “when I came here, I know how to write everything, but just the writing style is different, not just for reference, but everything” [S7]. Although all participants had attended extra language courses they realized that further training was needed and that language problems might not only hinder their own learning but could also impede the progress of others: “sometimes Chinese students not say a lot in class … we worry about our language … it’s like it’s wasting another student’s time so it’s not very fair for them” [S5]. Some lecturers provided translations of selected vocabulary for Chinese students plus handouts; all helped students to improve their written English, particularly through explaining the meaning and appropriate usage of various words. One student mentioned that her lecturer said “if I speak too fast, just let me know” [S7], but felt that “Chinese students are too shy to stop people’s talk” [S7], so she recorded classes: “sometimes you’re too nervous to listen when you’re in a group and you’re the only person who is a foreigner” [S7]. Therefore, coping with language could be emotionally demanding: “there will be something I can’t understand … so that will be anxious for me” [S4].

Participants noted that being in a peer group including students from their countries was both positive and negative: students supported each other, but because “all of us come from the same cultural background” [S5] this hampered learning new ways of thinking as well as development in English language skills. While one student felt that Chinese peers “give me secure feeling … we can help each other … it helps me to fit in the life in here” [S4], another said: “I don’t want there to be lots of Chinese students here … I want to meet a lot of British people ... it has not given me a lot of way to improve my English” [S1]. S2 felt that:

It is good to have many Chinese students in my class, because we know each other very well and our communication would be easier. But I wish to have more English classmates in the class, because Chinese students would rather to speak Chinese when they sit together, so sometimes when we discuss something they might speak Chinese rather than English, so I suppose if we speak more English it might be beneficial to our academic study as well as our English.

S1 also expressed feelings on being part of a cohort which included part-time students, which was a new experience: “I feel so sadly, they are the part-time students and we are the full-time students, and the full-time students are all the Chinese and the part-time are all the British, and because they are part-time they are so busy, we’re not together always”. However, one student noted that not all of her Chinese peers were studious in the UK – some “spend time in their rooms watching Chinese TV programmes and they’re not very close to English culture and everything, and it’s just useless and a waste of time. I think it depends on personality” [S7]; additionally, “some students just come here for a year and I think a year’s too short to realize lots of things, and if they can’t speak English very well, how can they communicate with others? How can they know things?” [S7]. This could be the result of many aspects of culture shock, which students recognized included homesickness, adjusting to commercial opening hours, high living costs, British food and weather, as well as meeting deadlines and time management.

The findings suggest that these participants experienced challenges in adjusting to different ways of thinking and using new learning strategies, particularly in developing critical thinking skills, individuality and self-reliance in interpretation in performance. Students were concerned about their English language skills, and might experience challenges concerning the peer group. The difficulties with language and social factors align with those discussed by Bodycott (2012), who recognized positive and negative values of spending time with co-nationals. However, these students developed increased understanding of different approaches to study and awareness of the potential of informed independent thinking in shaping their written work and performance.

4. Cultures and future plans

Student comments reflected the multiplicity of views concerning Chinese and Western music within China and Hong Kong discussed earlier. Although students rated knowledge of both musics, their comments suggest that Western music was prioritized in their home countries: “my generation would think Western is the best, piano or violin is the high level of music” [S7]. This was thought to be because previous generations had promoted Western values and experiences when returning from overseas study. Furthermore, parents might believe that Western instrumental learning could provide more opportunities “for their child to have a better future in the Western side” [S3] as Western culture will “broaden my horizon” [S9]. This suggests that a desire for global education may commence long before the years of higher education.

Three students who had learned traditional Chinese instruments no longer played them in the UK: “when I come here I need to study Western things like piano … I’m not in China, I’m in England” [S1]. Although one student was recording Chinese instruments for her music technology MA, and some acknowledged that a UK audience might respond positively to performance of traditional Chinese instruments and that peers might be interested in establishing a Chinese music society, the comments from the others suggest separation, rather than integration of cultural experience during MA study. This could result from perceptions that UK study should have a Western focus, that Western music would lead to more opportunity, and also result from the pressures of time felt by most students. Nevertheless, the participants recognized that other students and staff were interested in their culture, which was supported by the department’s collection of Chinese instruments. This research also demonstrated that their views were valued.

Finally, students articulated their thoughts on progression. While most were going back to China or Hong Kong, one student was planning to begin a PhD at the same university and another was seeking employment in the UK, feeling that “it’s a better atmosphere, for working … I think it feels less pressure as well” [S3]. Although several others had hoped to begin doctoral programmes, MA study had enabled a more realistic understanding of the difficulties of finding a suitable topic for further study, of academic demands, and financial pressures. One student hoped to obtain work in arts administration in China and to save for future study in music therapy (identifying it as undeveloped in China); another recognized that her academic limitations meant that further study was currently unrealistic.

Students mentioned the importance of contacts as well as qualifications in obtaining university teaching positions; while a UK qualification would help, the Chinese and Hong Kong job markets are very competitive. Performance combined with teaching might be a starting point. Those returning home noted the additional expectation of marriage and starting a family; one student felt that “it’s the only chance in my life to see what I want to see” [S7], and was therefore delaying her return. It was also stated that UK study enabled students to widen their job prospects in China through not only academic qualifications but also enhanced English skills; this could facilitate work as an agent or interpreter. The UK experience also changed personal ambition: one student noted that “before I came here I want to find a job in China, I want to be the best, top level of people working in China, but now I’d say the whole world” [S7].