Qualitative results for RQ1.

The rapid growth of Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education Programs highlights the critical role of intercultural competence (IC) for Chinese students studying abroad. While extensive research exists on domestic contexts, empirical studies on Chinese students’ experiences at foreign partner institutions remain scarce. This study addresses this gap by examining the intercultural competence of Chinese students in these programs and identifying key factors influencing their development. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study surveyed 130 Chinese students in Ireland and conducted WeChat video interviews with 16 participants. The results indicate that Chinese students generally exhibit moderately high levels of IC. Language proficiency, intercultural training, and intercultural contact experiences were significantly and positively associated with IC, while gender showed no significant correlation. These findings highlight the complex interplay of factors shaping intercultural competence in international education. The study offers valuable insights for educators and policymakers to improve intercultural training and support in Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education Programs. It also fills a key research gap by providing empirical evidence on Chinese students’ intercultural experiences abroad, laying the groundwork for future research and practical improvements.中外合作办学项目（Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education Programs）的快速发展，凸显了跨文化能力（intercultural competence, IC）对于参与该类项目的中国留学生的关键作用。尽管现有研究已针对国内情境开展了大量探讨，但针对中外合作办学项目学生在海外合作院校的学习体验展开的实证研究仍较为匮乏。本研究针对这一研究空白展开，通过考察该类项目中国学生的跨文化能力水平，识别影响其跨文化能力发展的核心因素。研究采用混合研究方法，对爱尔兰的130名中国学生开展了问卷调查，并对其中16名参与者进行了微信视频访谈。研究结果显示，参与该类项目的中国学生整体跨文化能力处于中等偏上水平。语言能力、跨文化培训以及跨文化接触经历与跨文化能力呈显著正相关，而性别与跨文化能力未呈现显著相关性。上述研究结果揭示了国际教育场景中影响跨文化能力发展的多重因素间的复杂交互作用。本研究可为教育工作者及政策制定者优化中外合作办学项目中的跨文化培训与支持服务提供重要参考。同时，本研究通过提供中国学生海外跨文化体验的实证证据，填补了相关研究的关键空白，为后续研究及实践改进奠定了基础。