Exploration of Students Engagement in Virtual Internationalization: A Case Study from a Non-Elite University in China

The increasing global inter-connectedness of higher education has led to the growth of virtual internationalization (VI), providing students with opportunities to engage in cross-cultural learning without physical mobility. However, research on student engagement in VI programs, particularly in non-elite Chinese universities, remains limited. This study assesses how students themselves perceive their engagement in the VI programs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve students participating in the VI programs from one non-elite university in Shanghai, China. The findings reveal that students appreciated the flexibility provided by the use of ICTs, the quality of the collaboration with peers, and the responsiveness of the teacher through adequate changes in their teaching approaches, enhancing their active engagement in the VI programs. These findings have important implications for developing greater student engagement in VI programs, through recommendations on the design and implementation of programs within the non-elite educational sector.