Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 Asia Pacifc Education Review https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-020-09625-1 Ethnic minority‑serving higher education institutions in the United States and China: a comparative case study of two institutions Weiyan Xiong 1  · W. James Jacob 2 Received: 14 March 2019 / Revised: 30 December 2019 / Accepted: 29 January 2020 © Education Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea 2020 Abstract Tribal Colleges and Universities in the United States and Ethnic Minority-Serving Institutions in China play a signifcant role in changing the underrepresented status of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs) and Chinese Ethnic Minorities (CEMs) in their respective higher education systems. This comparative study of two ethnic minority-serving institutions— Diné College in the US and Yanbian University in China—examines strategies and practices each institution uses to address challenges in serving Navajo and Korean Chinese students and communities. Through conducting semi-structured interviews with senior administrators from two institutions and AIAN and CEM content area experts, this study confrms that Diné College and Yanbian University play important roles in providing higher education opportunities and preserving indigenous and ethnic cultures and languages. From a comparative perspective, the eforts of Diné College and Yanbian University in addressing challenges difer because of their respective political and higher education contexts. Keywords American Indian and Alaska Native · Chinese ethnic minority · Minority-serving institutions · Indigenous higher education · Navajo people · Korean Chinese Introduction American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs) in the United States (US) and Ethnic Minorities (EMs) in China face many challenges in their higher education (HE) systems regarding access and attainment (Brayboy et al. 2012; DeVoe et al. 2008; Hunt and Harrington 2008; Tan and Xie 2009; Wang 2016). Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) in the US and Ethnic Minority-Serving Institutions (EMSIs) in China are vital in changing the disadvantageous situation AIAN and Chinese Ethnic Minority (CEM) students encounter in both HE systems. Also, they are critical in AIAN tribal nation-building and CEM policy implementation, as well as in the preservation of indigenous and ethnic languages, culture, and identities (Clothey 2005; Crazybull 2009; Gas- man and Conrad 2013; Jacob et al. 2015a, b; Qiu 2012; Stull et al. 2015; Stein 2009; Yang and Wu 2009). Currently, there are 37 TCUs in the US, of which 34 are chartered by AIAN tribes, and three by the federal govern- ment. Twenty-three TCUs award associate degrees, and 14 ofer bachelor’s programs, among which fve also have master’s programs (American Indian Higher Education Consortium [AIHEC] 2018). In China, EMSIs have two main categories—Ethnic Minority Colleges and Universi- ties (EMCUs) and Institutions in Ethnic Autonomous Areas (IEAAs). Also, outside of the EM autonomous areas, there is a small number of HEIs with an institutional mission to serve EM students. In total, there are 255 EMSIs in China, which cover the entire HEI-type spectrum from vocational colleges to comprehensive research universities, and all are under the administration of central or local governments. All 17 EMCUs ofer undergraduate and graduate programs. There are 233 IEAAs, among which 195 are in the fve EM Autonomous Regions; the remaining 38 are in EM Autono- mous Prefectures in non-ethnic provinces (China’s Ministry of Education 2017). This comparative study focuses on Diné College and Yanbian University as case study institutions to examine * Weiyan Xiong weiyanxiong@ln.edu.hk W. James Jacob wjamesjacob@gmail.com 1 School of Graduate Studies, Lingnan University, AD208, Wong Administration Building, 8 Castle Peak Road, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong 2 Collaborative Brain Trust, 1130 K St, Suite 150, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA