A comparative study of the academic experiences between local and non-local community college students in Hong Kong
Purpose – Although community colleges play a role in democratizing education and engaging in social integration, particularly in times of economic transition, there remains a lack of qualitative studies on academic achievement gaps between the various student populations attending community colleges...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Emerald Publishing
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Higher Education Evaluation and Development |
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| Online Access: | https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/HEED-09-2024-0043/full/pdf |
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| author | Hanwei Jin |
| author_facet | Hanwei Jin |
| author_sort | Hanwei Jin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose – Although community colleges play a role in democratizing education and engaging in social integration, particularly in times of economic transition, there remains a lack of qualitative studies on academic achievement gaps between the various student populations attending community colleges. Therefore, this study examines the academic experiences of local and non-local students at Hong Kong’s community colleges within the framework of Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital. The research delves into the challenges posed by language barriers, family support structures and the rigidity of policy environments. Design/methodology/approach – This paper applies qualitative research to explore the experiences of both local and non-local students concerning how their cultural capital and institutional policies influence their academic experience. The study relies on in-depth interviews to uncover subtle challenges faced by non-local students. Findings – The findings show that local students generally have better academic experiences and success, which is attributed to their native fluency in Cantonese and familiarity with the local education system. In contrast, non-local students face significant barriers to achieving good academic experiences and social integration. Research limitations/implications – Despite its contributions, this study has limitations. Although participants were selected from five community colleges in Hong Kong, the findings may not fully capture the diversity of experiences in other educational contexts, such as vocational education. Additionally, the qualitative nature of the study, while providing rich insights, may limit the applicability to larger populations. Lastly, the study focuses on current and retrospective experiences but does not track participants’ long-term academic and social trajectories. Originality/value – The study highlights how institutional policies may unintentionally favor local students and underscores the critical role that family support plays in student choices and outcomes. It offers new insights into the local and non-local academic experience disparities at the community colleges in Hong Kong, highlighting the significant impact of cultural capital and institutional policies on student success. The findings provide valuable guidance on how to support and empower diverse student populations in both current and similar educational contexts through the development of more inclusive education policies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-340803e27fb04c4aa451ce8c022e0983 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2514-5789 2514-5797 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Emerald Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Higher Education Evaluation and Development |
| spelling | doaj-art-340803e27fb04c4aa451ce8c022e09832025-08-20T02:03:19ZengEmerald PublishingHigher Education Evaluation and Development2514-57892514-57972025-06-01191708610.1108/HEED-09-2024-0043A comparative study of the academic experiences between local and non-local community college students in Hong KongHanwei Jin0Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaPurpose – Although community colleges play a role in democratizing education and engaging in social integration, particularly in times of economic transition, there remains a lack of qualitative studies on academic achievement gaps between the various student populations attending community colleges. Therefore, this study examines the academic experiences of local and non-local students at Hong Kong’s community colleges within the framework of Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital. The research delves into the challenges posed by language barriers, family support structures and the rigidity of policy environments. Design/methodology/approach – This paper applies qualitative research to explore the experiences of both local and non-local students concerning how their cultural capital and institutional policies influence their academic experience. The study relies on in-depth interviews to uncover subtle challenges faced by non-local students. Findings – The findings show that local students generally have better academic experiences and success, which is attributed to their native fluency in Cantonese and familiarity with the local education system. In contrast, non-local students face significant barriers to achieving good academic experiences and social integration. Research limitations/implications – Despite its contributions, this study has limitations. Although participants were selected from five community colleges in Hong Kong, the findings may not fully capture the diversity of experiences in other educational contexts, such as vocational education. Additionally, the qualitative nature of the study, while providing rich insights, may limit the applicability to larger populations. Lastly, the study focuses on current and retrospective experiences but does not track participants’ long-term academic and social trajectories. Originality/value – The study highlights how institutional policies may unintentionally favor local students and underscores the critical role that family support plays in student choices and outcomes. It offers new insights into the local and non-local academic experience disparities at the community colleges in Hong Kong, highlighting the significant impact of cultural capital and institutional policies on student success. The findings provide valuable guidance on how to support and empower diverse student populations in both current and similar educational contexts through the development of more inclusive education policies.https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/HEED-09-2024-0043/full/pdfHong KongHigher educationComparative studyCommunity collegeLearning outcome |
| spellingShingle | Hanwei Jin A comparative study of the academic experiences between local and non-local community college students in Hong Kong Higher Education Evaluation and Development Hong Kong Higher education Comparative study Community college Learning outcome |
| title | A comparative study of the academic experiences between local and non-local community college students in Hong Kong |
| title_full | A comparative study of the academic experiences between local and non-local community college students in Hong Kong |
| title_fullStr | A comparative study of the academic experiences between local and non-local community college students in Hong Kong |
| title_full_unstemmed | A comparative study of the academic experiences between local and non-local community college students in Hong Kong |
| title_short | A comparative study of the academic experiences between local and non-local community college students in Hong Kong |
| title_sort | comparative study of the academic experiences between local and non local community college students in hong kong |
| topic | Hong Kong Higher education Comparative study Community college Learning outcome |
| url | https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/HEED-09-2024-0043/full/pdf |
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