| The Chinese Communist Party's agenda to assert soft power and manage the flow of information to select groups has become increasingly prioritized over the past two administrations.To manage China's image and foreign sentiments surrounding official policy,the CCP has expanded its public diplomacy initiatives,media outreach and education opportunities to reach broader foreign audiences.This study examines the CCP's agenda of exerting soft power through international Master's programs at leading Chinese higher education institutions.Due to the CCP's intent to influence foreign perception through policies,culture and discourse rather than military practices,the concept of soft power is used as a framework.Qualitative methods were selected for this research design to develop a full context surrounding this particular aspect of the agenda as it has been seldom researched.First,China's national policies regarding higher education for foreigners were reviewed and analyzed,followed by a review and analysis of four international Master's programs at China's leading universities.Last,12 semi-structured interviews were conducted with international students affiliated with the international Master's programs.The data highlights five common themes and values projected to international students through the four programs,which align with recent national policies and priorities.The analyses and student interviews also provide information regarding the environment students are taught in and how messages are projected,suggesting leadership uses formal and informal mechanisms to create an environment tailored for projecting values and messages to foreign audiences. |
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