Divergent assessment practices in international joint education programmes in higher education: a case study of cross-cultural challenges

This study examines divergent assessment practices in international joint higher education programmes (IJEPs) through a case study of a collaborative initiative between universities in the UK and China. While IJEPs offer significant benefits, including dual degree opportunities and enriched cross-cultural learning experiences, they also pose unique challenges, particularly in aligning assessment frameworks across institutions. The case study highlights an issue: students assessed in China consistently receive higher marks than their UK-based counterparts, raising questions about grade inflation and cultural differences. The findings suggest that these discrepancies are influenced by cultural and institutional factors, including China's emphasis on developing self-efficacy and recognising effort, rooted in Confucian educational values. Contrastingly, UK institutions often prioritise performance-based evaluations. This misalignment reflects broader systemic differences in pedagogical and policy approaches between the two countries. Addressing these challenges requires developing co-designed assessment frameworks that respect cultural nuances while ensuring fairness and consistency across partner institutions. By examining the underlying causes of these assessment disparities, this research contributes to the limited literature on cross-cultural pedagogical challenges in IJEPs. It calls for greater collaboration and mutual understanding to enhance the operational integrity of such programmes, ultimately improving the global learning experience for students.