Purpose
Self-regulated learning (SRL) is recognized as a key component of academic success and professional development in medical education. As transnational programs become more common, it is important to understand how students from different cultural backgrounds develop and apply SRL strategies. This pilot study explored learning behaviors among final-year medical students enrolled in a UK-China collaborative program. Using the Kawa Model, participants engaged in structured reflection sessions to visually represent their learning journeys. These sessions were followed by structured interviews to explore how students navigated their academic challenges. Findings offer insights into cross-cultural differences in SRL and suggest practical strategies for supporting students in diverse educational settings.

Methods
An inductive content analysis approach was used to identify recurring themes in the data. Emerging patterns were interpreted to explore implications for the design of tailored student support strategies. Seven final-year students enrolled in a BSc Clinical Science degree program in the UK were recruited alongside their Chinese counterparts, who had recently joined the UK-based cohort as part of a transnational education arrangement.

Results
Ongoing analysis of the data focused on participants who were considered high flyers based on their graduation results (after the interviews). Themes of common learning strategies such as active recall and help-seeking behaviors were observed. However, key differences between Chinese and UK students were observed, particularly in the area of leveraging peer relationships and perspectives on reflection.

Conclusion
Participants demonstrated similar learning behaviours across cultural contexts. The difference in the use of collaborative learning and the perspectives of reflection. How these areas could be targeted to contextualize and enhance learning for students in different cultural contexts will be discussed.