The changing face of transnational education: new forms of transnational

partnership

Professor Nigel HealeyPro-Vice-Chancellor

(International)

7 May 2014

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Overview

• What is transnational education (TNE)?

• What are the main ‘types’ of TNE?

• Why classify TNE?

• How is TNE changing?

• Alternative ways of classifying TNE

What is TNE?

• “Any teaching or learning activity in which the students are in a different country to that in which the institutional providing the education is based” (Global Alliance for Transnational Education, 1997)

• “All types of higher education study programmes, sets of study courses, or educational services (including those of distance education) in which the learners are located in a country different from the one where the awarding institution is based” (Council of Europe, 2002)

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Types of TNE (1): by activity

1. Distance-learning

2. International branch campus

3. Franchise/twinning

4. Validation

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Types of TNE (2): by mode of delivery (GATS)

GATS terminology Transnational education variant

Mode 1 — Cross border supply

Programme mobility: distance or on-line education

Mode 2 — Consumption abroad

Student mobility: export education

Mode 3 — Commercial presence

Institutional mobility:• International branch campus• franchise• validated partner

Mode 4 — Presence of natural persons

Staff mobility: fly-in/fly-out programmes

How big is TNE (a UK perspective)?

  2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13

Overseas campus 7,120 9,885 11,410 12,305 15,140 17,525

Distance learning 100,345 112,345 114,985 113,065 116,520 123,635

Other students registered at HEI 59,895 68,595 74,360 86,630 96,060 103,795

Overseas partner organisation 29,240 197,185 207,790 291,575 342,910 353,375

Other70 35 50 125 345 600

Total196,670 388,045 408,595 503,700 570,925 598,930

Source: HESA

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Why classify TNE?

• Choice of market entry (international business)

• Risk (quality assurance)

• Control (host government)

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Choice of market entry (international business: stages approach)

Distance learning Franchise Validation

International Branch Campus

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Risk (quality assurance)

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Control (host government)

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How is TNE changing?

• Analysis of 30 TNE case studies gathered from around the world through www.linkedin.com

• Analysis of 40 QAA reports of TNE partnerships:

– China (2012)

– Singapore (2011)

– Malaysia (2010)

– India (2009)

– First three are the three largest TNE markets, India is the market with the most potential

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Limits of existing typologies

…and some TNE partnerships off the radar

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Classify TNE according to the source of the risk

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Classify according to the motivation for the TNE partnership

• Spectrum 1: Regional access vs stand-alone outposts

• Spectrum 2: Subject specialism vs multidisciplinary partnerships

• Spectrum 3: Research-led vs teaching-led partnerships

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Conclusions

• TNE partnerships are becoming increasingly complex, multidimensional and innovative

• Existing typologies are increasingly unable to keep up with developments (microcosm of challenges of globalisation generally – eg, for tax law, environmental control)

• Alternative typologies can be based on:– Risk– Purpose of TNE partnership

Further reading on TNE typologies

• Healey, N. (2014), Towards a risk-based typology for transnational education, Higher Education, (DOI) 10.1007/s10734-014-9757-6

• Healey, N. and Michael, L. (2014), Towards a new framework for analysing transnational education, Higher Education Policy (in press)