The impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on the expansion of China's higher education in overseas markets along the route

摘要

Due to the differences in economic and social conditions among the Belt-and-Road (B&R) countries, resources exchange might bring significant effect on companies and organizations in these countries. In recent years, vigorously developing university education and attracting more outstanding international students have become important means for "B&R" countries to expand education market and enhance international influence. However, there is limited research discussing the impact of "B&R" on the internationalization of higher education. Taking the sponsoring country (China) of the "B&R" strategy as an example, this article explores the impact of this strategy on Chinese universities' expansion in the education market, and further analyzes the important relevant factors from the perspectives of international competitiveness. The findings show that the B&R Initiative has a significant impact on the expansion of Chinese universities in overseas markets along the route. Furthermore, we have found "push" factors related to China's macro and micro environments, and "pull" factors associated with countries along the B&R route.