Azram Muhammad, Hong Mei, Ahmad Waqar, Sohail Ali, Ahmad Bilal
School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
PLoS One. 2025 Apr 4;20(4):e0315040. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0315040. eCollection 2025.
This study highlights the significance of understanding how diversity experiences and innovative learning environments contribute to the personal development of international students in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Shaanxi, China. Despite existing studies, there remains a notable gap in exploring their combined effects specifically within Chinese HEIs. This research aims to address this gap by analyzing the relationships among diversity experiences, language proficiency, and personal development, thereby offering valuable insights for educators and policymakers to enhance institutional support for international students. To achieve this, we conducted a quantitative survey involving 364 international students, utilizing a structured questionnaire and employing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) for data analysis. The results reveal a positive relationship between diversity experiences and personal development. However, no direct relationship was found between innovative learning environments and personal development. Furthermore, language proficiency mediates the relationship between diversity experiences and personal development. Moreover, innovative learning environments were positively associated with both acculturation stress and language proficiency, which in turn were related to personal development. The findings underscore the vital role of institutional support in enhancing international students' personal development through improved diversity experiences and language proficiency. To achieve this, educators and policymakers should integrate diversity initiatives and create adaptable learning environments that specifically address the needs of international students.
本研究强调了理解多样性经历和创新学习环境如何促进中国陕西高等教育机构（HEIs）中留学生个人发展的重要性。尽管已有相关研究，但在专门探讨它们在中国高校中的综合影响方面仍存在显著差距。本研究旨在通过分析多样性经历、语言能力和个人发展之间的关系来填补这一差距，从而为教育工作者和政策制定者提供有价值的见解，以加强对留学生的机构支持。为实现这一目标，我们对364名留学生进行了定量调查，使用结构化问卷并采用结构方程模型（SEM）进行数据分析。结果显示，多样性经历与个人发展之间存在正相关关系。然而，未发现创新学习环境与个人发展之间存在直接关系。此外，语言能力在多样性经历与个人发展之间起中介作用。此外，创新学习环境与文化适应压力和语言能力均呈正相关，而这两者又与个人发展相关。研究结果强调了机构支持在通过改善多样性经历和语言能力来促进留学生个人发展方面的关键作用。为实现这一目标，教育工作者和政策制定者应整合多样性举措，并创建专门满足留学生需求的适应性学习环境。
