Between heritage and host: Cultural impact on Chinese international students’ learner identity

Chinese international students (ChISs) often encounter challenges in reconstructing their learner identities when transitioning between distinct educational cultures. Existing studies have predominantly focused on linguistic competence, leaving the broader cultural and pedagogical dimensions of learner identity underexplored. Grounded in MacFarlane's (2018) framework of learner identity negotiation, the learner identity reconstructions are contextualized within the tension between cultural heritage traditions and host cultural expectations. To investigate these dynamics, a narrative inquiry was conducted with two Chinese undergraduate students studying in the United Kingdom, exploring how they negotiated belonging and engagement in international higher education (IHE). The findings reveal that both participants maintained a strong reliance on the heritage culture’s instrumental view of education, which limited their social engagement and sense of belonging in the host environment. Moreover, they both adopted AI technologies as coping tools to sustain academic performance, further reinforcing utilitarian learning orientations. The study highlights how cultural and technological factors intersect in shaping learner identity, offering implications for IHE policymakers and educators seeking to foster inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments.