Brain Circulation and Transnational Identity of Asian Students Studying in Asian Countries

This paper is based on an empirical comparative analysis of study-broad students from Korea, China and Japan. By focusing on the phenomenon of ‘regionalization of higher education,’ the study compares international students’ mobility within Asia, construction and transferability of human resources, and formation of transnational identity. The study specifically focuses on Korean, Japanese, and Chinese students studying in institutions of higher education in Korea, Japan and China.

This study is based on a survey study among Asian students studying abroad in South Korea, Japan and China. The survey was conducted in Korea from October 2012 to December 2013 among 405 students; in Japan from October 2012 to February 2013 among 319 students; and in China from December 2012 to April 2012 among 312 students.   

The most significant research findings are as follows. With regard to students’ career plans, the three groups of international students showed high rates of those who plan to return home five years after studying abroad at around 40-50% and a relatively high rate of those who plan to migrate to a third country at around 20%. 

 Regarding the transferability of education, all three groups indicated high assessments of transferability. The data shows that all three groups believe that their education from home country is transferable in the host country and that their education through studying abroad is recognized in their home and a third county. While experiences of studying abroad positively increased awareness for regional community and transnationalism, it did not meaningfully affect the students’ national awareness. Such result illustrates that national identity remains central to Asian international students. This result is interpreted as stemming from the continuation of close connections between the individual and the nation state as Northeast Asia experiences a conservative shift and territorial and historical disputes are reignited.