Reflections of Chinese International Postgraduates’ Conceptualisation of Critical Thinking in a UK university

Some literature often highlights Chinese international students’ challenges in conceptualising critical thinking, contributing to a partial and stereotypical representation of them as deficient (Lomer & Mittelmeier, 2021; Moosavi, 2022). There is limited research on how Chinese international students conceptualise and develop their CT over time. The study aims to explore Chinese international students’ conceptualisation, development, and application of critical thinking at the master’s level at a UK university over time. Nineteen participants in the MA International Education program at a UK university are taken as an example. The participants are interviewed in three rounds, using their drawings and draft assignments as prompts. This longitudinal study can be an example for many global higher education institutes to strengthen their understanding of the largest international student group: Chinese students in a host institute.