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| Reflections on Chinese Universities' International Communication Strategies: A Development Communication Perspective |
| Li Min, He Jiawen |
| Office of Global Engagement, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China |
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Abstract As the world has been undergoing the most profound and unprecedented economic, political and cultural changes in a century, Chinese universities play an increasingly important role in telling Chinese stories to the global audiences. Despite substantial work in this regard, many universities lack clear and long-term strategic vision, and fail to facilitate extensive participation and engagement with those audiences.Development communication refers to the systematic use of principles and technologies of communication to bring about positive economic, political and cultural changes. It focuses on the relationship between development and communication and looks into how communication enhances individual and social progress. This study examines the dominant paradigms of development communication, namely modernization, dependency and multiplicity, finding that the multiplicity paradigm and its participatory approach conform best to the needs and features of the information age. As participation has become the mainstream in this field, research in development communication has taken on new foci. Firstly, communication plays a significant role in promoting the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Secondly, the focus of communication has shifted from the sender to the receiver, with interaction more important than ever. In addition, there is a transition from an assumed homogeneity to a new emphasis on respect for difference. More scholars agree that development is an integral, multidimensional and dialectic process that differs from one society to another, and participation and sustainability for all stakeholders are critical to the success of development projects.Universities are talent and knowledge hubs and driving forces of innovation. As an important part in international exchanges, universities also play a bigger role in promoting a country’s soft power. International communication for universities involves both practical endeavours and theoretical studies, which should take into account the general rules of communication and the distinctive features of the times, such as the dramatic development of social media. Recent research foci in development communication not only echo the trends and characteristics of the era of social media, but also respond to the challenges faced by universities in terms of the purpose, audience and content of their international communication. This is a positional paper providing a useful reference framework for universities to advance their international communication strategies and methodologies from the perspective of a multiplicity paradigm and its participatory approach. We intend to facilitate the contribution of “Chinese wisdom” to solving global challenges and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, consistent with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. We conclude that Chinese universities should develop and promote this strategic vision, sharing stories and solutions that both feature China’s development and address global concerns. We urge international communication mechanism to be built to connect resources across the campus, encourage the participation of grassroots organizations and individuals, and increase audience engagement. To be efficient participants in the digital times, it is important for communicators to possess multichannel versatility and take advantage of social media platforms. Last but not least, communicators should be aware of the similarities and differences between domestic and international communication, be well-equipped with skills of cross-cultural communication, competent to set topics, and therefore be able to enhance more precise communication.
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Received: 29 December 2021
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2022, Vol. 52 
