Perceived organizational support and academic adaptation among in-service Chinese university teachers studying in Thailand: The mediating role of sense of belonging

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This study examines how perceived organizational support, sense of belonging, and academic adaptation are related among Chinese university teachers pursuing graduate studies in Thailand while maintaining their professional roles. As individuals positioned between institutional staff and international students, this group represents a distinct context for understanding cross-border academic adjustment. A quantitative correlational design was employed. Data were collected from 504 valid responses and analyzed using SPSS, including descriptive statistics, group comparisons, correlation and regression analyses, followed by mediation testing with PROCESS Model 4 (5,000 bootstrap samples). Results revealed that female participants reported higher levels of sense of belonging and academic adaptation than males, with additional differences across academic categories. Perceived organizational support was positively associated with both sense of belonging and academic adaptation, and sense of belonging was also positively related to academic adaptation. Mediation analysis indicated that sense of belonging partially explained the relationship between perceived organizational support and academic adaptation (indirect effect = 0.247, 95% CI [0.176, 0.321]), accounting for 47.47% of the total effect. These findings suggest that universities should strengthen institutional support mechanisms for in-service teachers engaged in overseas study by providing practical resources and fostering a stronger sense of belonging. Policymakers and higher education institutions may consider developing targeted support strategies to facilitate academic adaptation in cross-border degree programs.

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Related topics: International Student and Expatriate Challenges · Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior · Resilience and Mental Health