Higher education teaching in China described by a foreign scholar: Based on the experience of Beijing Normal University

International academic exchange programs are becoming an exciting reality for a growing number of academics; however much preparation is required to yield a fruitful outcome. With the expansion of global society and growing economic relationships, more and more academic administrators are encouraging their faculty members to embark on international academic exchanges in hopes of expanding the pedagogical diversity of both the sending and receiving university (Weifang, 1999). Recently, I was approached by one of my administrators with an opportunity to teach inferential statistics at the Beijing Normal University (Beishida) College of Education in Beijing, China. This paper is about one professor’s perspective as a foreign scholar teaching in China. It is important to note that as an American academic this paper should be interpreted as one individual’s opinion, rather than the definitive truth (Mohrman, 2003). In addition, suggestions are provided to help clarify what exchange professors might expect upon arrival during an academic exchange and what host universities can do to facilitate transition.