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Chinese growing adoption of Western higher education methods has highlighted numerous disparities between Chinese and Western higher education institutions (HEIs). Chinese HEIs have consistently functioned as state-owned public institutions, both in terms of their organizational framework and the admission criteria for students. Chinese HEIs are never concerned about a lack of students, as they cater to those who can only pursue higher education through the Chinese college admission examination (Zha, 2012). However, the situation is expected to change within the next two decades. The National Bureau of Statistics of China (2023) revealed that, in 2022, the birth rate was 6.77%, marking a negative growth of -0.6%, compared to the death rate of 7.37%. This is a significant decrease, nearly three and a half times lower than the birth peak of 23.33% observed in 1987.
In addition, since 1999, when China’s higher education enrollment experienced growth, the number of enrollment rate of HEIs has risen by almost five times, and the number of HEIs increased from 1,071, in 1999, to 3,074, in 2023 (Huang et al., 2022). It is reasonable to anticipate that, during the next two decades, approximately half of China’s colleges and universities may cease to exist or transition into vocational schools. This is mostly due to the drop in the birth rate, which will compel HEIs to compete for students in order to ensure their survival in the coming years.
Especially for the minority ethnic regions in the west of China with underdeveloped educational resources, Guangxi lags behind other provinces in the allocation of educational resources (Liu & Ma, 2018). If Western HEIs are adopted to provide services to college students at the current stage while improving their academic performance and abilities, students can develop an emotional attachment to HEIs, further making students, their friends, and relatives recognize the educational institution, thereby obtaining more students (Alsharari & Alshurideh, 2021).
In addition, Wang et al. (2017) proposed that leadership has a positive effect on follower loyalty, but existing literature research has overlooked the meaning of cultural background. Fox and Bourgeois (2022) were even concerned that the direct application of the Western scale to college students in the Chinese mainland lacks reflection on the relevance of local real culture and is often inconsistent with the local knowledge system, values, and beliefs. Moreover, Western leadership research in China gives priority to Western interests and values. The relationship between culture and leadership is an important subject. Also, the leadership approach that is effective in one culture may not be effective in another. Examining leadership from a cultural viewpoint as a broader range of variables and relationships (Javidan & Carl, 2004).
In this study, the author aimed to hold that higher education in the East and the West is a “two-way street” through which college students can transfer their knowledge (Altbach, 2003). The theories that are applicable to Western college students can also be applied to Chinese college students. This study focused on the college student population in Guangxi’s HEIs. The promotion of college students’ leadership aims to enhance their capacity to address future challenges, foster emotional connection, and ultimately cultivate their deep commitment and loyalty to their HEIs (Wang & Ma, 2024). The author utilized leadership in cross-cultural environments from the factor of collectivism (COL), individualism (IND), self-efficacy (SE) and affective commitment (AC) as mediating variables to explore the effects between student leadership and loyalty. This means HEIs facilitate the development of students as leaders (Ingleton, 2013), but less leadership education and training program are available in Chinese HEIs (Zhu & Caliskan, 2021).