The Virtual Linguistic Landscape of Chinese University Websites

Abstract

This study explored the Virtual Linguistic Landscape (VLL) in Chinese higher education amidst the strong government focus on internationalization. It adopted a descriptive qualitative methodology to investigate the VLL of the top 100 Chinese university websites. The focus was on language code selection, language distribution, and the informational function of these websites. The data analysis involved the use of frequencies and percentages to explore both the quantity and types of language displayed on the universities' homepages. Additionally, content analysis was employed to scrutinize the informational function of the content found on the websites. The findings revealed that the majority (87%) of these websites were bilingual, using simplified/traditional Chinese and English. Additionally, 7% employed a multilingual approach, employing simplified Chinese, English, and other foreign languages. A minority (6%) adopted monolingualism. These websites disseminated various information categories, including general university details, admissions, academic units, research, campus life, international collaborations, academics, training, and talent recruitment. Notably, some websites featured information specific to the Chinese Communist Party and cultural aspects. The prevalence of English content demonstrates top Chinese universities' efforts to engage with the global community and enhance their international reputations. These findings added more understanding of multilingualism and the roles of English in cyberspace such as websites.

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