Diverse Stakeholders' Perceptions of the Attributes Needed by Chinese Returned Graduates in the Hotel Industry in China

Abstract

The study enters the contested environment of the role of universities in an increasingly globalised world where geographically mobile students from diverse national backgrounds are seeking tertiary qualifications in foreign higher education institutions. In this space, questions are asked about the purpose and function of universities with respect to the nature of students (whether domestic or international), and the goals of university programs (whether applied and vocational, or liberal in purpose). Key stakeholders in this debate are universities, governments and industry. Some researchers argue that more collaboration is needed between these three stakeholders in order to increase the employability of graduates. Furthermore, the perceptions and expectations of industry about requisite graduate attributes tend to differ from country to country. There is, therefore, a risk that international students’ ideas of employability may differ from those that shape the curriculum of the degree programs of their host university. Whether universities should accommodate their international students’ specific needs in relation to employability in their home countries is contested.