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Expatriate Teachers' Experiences with the Leadership in Chinese Internationalised Schools

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Title: Expatriate Teachers' Experiences with the Leadership in Chinese Internationalised Schools
Language: English
Authors: Adrian Golis (ORCID 0000-0002-4136-6960), Laura E. Jones (ORCID 0000-0002-6028-4004)
Source: Educational Management Administration & Leadership. 2026 54(3):814-831.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 18
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
High Schools
Early Childhood Education
Preschool Education
Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Foreign Workers, Teacher Administrator Relationship, International Schools, Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Preschool Teachers, Middle Management, Work Environment, Teacher Attitudes
Geographic Terms: China
DOI: 10.1177/17411432241283928
ISSN: 1741-1432
1741-1440
Abstract: The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand expatriate teachers' experiences with the leadership in Chinese internationalised schools. A sample of 15 expatriate teachers with diverse demographics and backgrounds, among them nine licenced teachers from non-Anglophone countries, contributed their insights in individual interviews, written protocols, and focus groups. All participants had worked in Chinese internationalised schools for at least one school year and had experiences with the schools' leaders. Their accounts revealed that senior leadership in Chinese internationalised schools is local and driven by profit and the Chinese work culture. Expatriate leaders, while supportive, mostly occupy mid-level management positions. Expatriate teachers feel insignificant to their leaders and respond to dissatisfaction with the management by terminating employment rather than adjusting. The findings confirm prior research, corroborating reports of unskilled and unstable leadership in international schools. The tokenistic role of expatriate managers, who may be hired for their foreign appearance and have little influence on managing the schools, is a new and unexpected finding. The study narrows a gap in the literature and has implications for recruiting and managing expatriate teachers in international schools.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1504995
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Expatriate Teachers' Experiences with the Leadership in Chinese Internationalised Schools
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Adrian+Golis%22">Adrian Golis</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4136-6960">0000-0002-4136-6960</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Laura+E%2E+Jones%22">Laura E. Jones</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6028-4004">0000-0002-6028-4004</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Educational+Management+Administration+%26+Leadership%22"><i>Educational Management Administration & Leadership</i></searchLink>. 2026 54(3):814-831.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: Y
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  Label: Page Count
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  Data: 18
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22High+Schools%22">High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Workers%22">Foreign Workers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Administrator+Relationship%22">Teacher Administrator Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22International+Schools%22">International Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Teachers%22">Elementary School Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+School+Teachers%22">Middle School Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+School+Teachers%22">High School Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Teachers%22">Preschool Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+Management%22">Middle Management</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Work+Environment%22">Work Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1177/17411432241283928
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1741-1432<br />1741-1440
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand expatriate teachers' experiences with the leadership in Chinese internationalised schools. A sample of 15 expatriate teachers with diverse demographics and backgrounds, among them nine licenced teachers from non-Anglophone countries, contributed their insights in individual interviews, written protocols, and focus groups. All participants had worked in Chinese internationalised schools for at least one school year and had experiences with the schools' leaders. Their accounts revealed that senior leadership in Chinese internationalised schools is local and driven by profit and the Chinese work culture. Expatriate leaders, while supportive, mostly occupy mid-level management positions. Expatriate teachers feel insignificant to their leaders and respond to dissatisfaction with the management by terminating employment rather than adjusting. The findings confirm prior research, corroborating reports of unskilled and unstable leadership in international schools. The tokenistic role of expatriate managers, who may be hired for their foreign appearance and have little influence on managing the schools, is a new and unexpected finding. The study narrows a gap in the literature and has implications for recruiting and managing expatriate teachers in international schools.
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  Data: 2026
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  Label: Accession Number
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  Data: EJ1504995
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        Value: 10.1177/17411432241283928
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      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Workers
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      – SubjectFull: Teacher Administrator Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: International Schools
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      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Middle School Teachers
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      – SubjectFull: High School Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preschool Teachers
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      – SubjectFull: Middle Management
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      – SubjectFull: Work Environment
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      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: China
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