22. Expectations and experiences of Chinese university students in Australia - with Fran Martin

For about a year now, there has been heated debate about Chinese international students on Australian university campuses. In 2017 media reported on four incidents involving Chinese students protesting lecture content. Some commentators have claimed that Chinese students are brainwashed prior to arrival, spy or protest on behalf of the Chinese Government while studying here and are generally kept loyal to the Communist Party during their time in Australia by being surrounded by Beijing-approved Chinese-language media. However, most of the time the voices of Chinese students themselves are not part of the discussion. What are Chinese students’ aspirations for their time in Australia? Do these accord with their actual experiences? Do Chinese students aim to immerse themselves in Australian life? What part do Chinese-language media play in their Australian experience? Fran Martin, Associate Professor and Reader in Cultural Studies at the University of Melbourne, joins James Laurenceson, Deputy Director of the Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI) at the University of Technology Sydney to discuss her Australian Research Council-funded project following more than 50 female students coming to Australian universities from China, from before their departure to after their graduation.