A study on the identity of mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong universities based on grounded theory

Since Hong Kong's return to China in 1997, a growing number of Mainland Chinese students (MLC students) have chosen to pursue higher education in Hong Kong. This trend raises questions about how MLC students establish and identify with their identity during their stay in Hong Kong. The issue of identity construction among MLC students within Hong Kong's hybridised cultural context warrants specific attention. This study, employing a qualitative research method grounded in Grounded Theory, conducted in-depth interviews with 30 selected Mainland Chinese students studying in Hong Kong. By establishing a model of personal identity for MLC students, the research reveals that these students consistently identify themselves as Chinese mainlanders throughout their stay in Hong Kong. The construction of their identity is shaped by interactions between personal conflicts, environmental conflicts, personal reconciliation factors, environmental reconciliation factors, and policy promotion factors.