On June 18, International College successfully held the 3^rd lecture of the GUIDE Programme 2026. The lecture featured Associate Professor Alex English from Wenzhou-Kean University and an alumnus of Zhejiang University (Ph.D., Class of 2016). He gave a lecture entitled “Studying Abroad in China: Exploring the Journey from Individual Adaption to Cultural Integration”. The event was attended by the college’s leadership, administrative staff, faculty teachers and support staff, and was chaired by Vice Dean Yi Honghui.

From his own experiences of studying, working and living in China, as well as his years of research and practice in cross-cultural psychology, Alex English provided a systematic explanation of the dynamic process through which international students adapt to life in China. He pointed out that international students’ experiences are shaped by multiple factors, including their cultural background, language proficiency, expectations, social support and experiences in local community. He emphasized that studying in China is not only an academic journey, but also a process of learning the language, understanding the culture, building new relationships and reshaping one’s self-identity. To support the international students more effectively, universities need to pay more attention to students’ daily lives and psychological needs, helping them to move from “coming to China” to “understanding China”, and also from “adapting to campus life” to “integrating into Chinese culture”.

During the lecture, Alex English discussed topics including the stages of cross-cultural adaptation, the gap between expectations and reality and pathways to cultural learning. His talk helped participants to gain a deeper understanding of international students as educational sojourners. During the interactive session, participants worked in groups to discuss questions like “What are international students’ experiences in China like?”, “Compared with the period before 2020, how have international students' experiences in China changed?”, “What are the key factors behind a successful international student experience?”. They also shared their practical experiences and insights drawn from their daily work in teaching, student management and support services.

After the lecture, Executive Vice Dean Wang Yu Fen presented a commemorative gift to Alex English on behalf of the college. Participants agreed that the lecture combined academic insights with practical guidance, helping them to better understand the real needs of international students from the perspective of cross-cultural psychology. They also stated that the lecture would contribute to improving the professionalism, refinement and a more human-centred approach of international students’ education and support services.

Alex English received his Ph.D. in Applied Psychology from Zhejiang University in 2016. His research focuses on cross-cultural psychology, particularly cross-cultural adaptation and the sojourner adaptation. He currently serves as Associate Editor of SSCI-indexed journal International Journal of Intercultural Relations and is a member of several academic associations, including the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology and the Asian Association of Social Psychology. He has also received funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) through the Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Overseas) programme.

Text：Ye Xiaoran

Photo：ICSNMC