Exploring Difference – Transnational Education Models, Drivers and Challenges

Embassy of Canada, Berlin, 23. October 2012 13:00 bis 0:00

The series International Dialogue on Education Berlin is a joint initiative of the British Council, the German Academic Ex­change Service (DAAD), the Australian Group of Eight, the Canadian Bureau for International Education/Embassy of Canada in Germany and Freie Universität Berlin. Through the contributions of international participants the series aims to enrich the debate on science, research and higher education policy in Germany, to place German perspectives in a global context and to learn from positive examples from other countries.

The ninth conference in the ID-E Berlin series will focus on the Anglo-American and French models of Transnational Education (TNE) and examine the drivers, trends and challenges of cross-border education projects. The discussions will address the following topics and questions:

1. Rationale, Drivers and Stakeholders

  • Why do Higher Education (HE) institutions engage in transnational education provision, open branch campuses or get involved in “foreign-backed universities”?
  • Which national (or regional, e.g. European) educational policies or strategies play a role?
  • To what extent do political, economic or social factors in target countries influence the development of TNE projects? Are development aid and capacity building relevant drivers?
  • How do tax-funded HE institutions legitimize their investment in TNE projects?
  • Are there other stakeholders (public or private), supporting the development of TNE?

2. Models, Forms and Modes of Delivery

  • What types of providers & partnerships are there?
  • What modes of delivery have emerged?
  • What works, what doesn’t?
  • How are projects developed? For example top-down, bottom-up, third-party sponsoring etc.
  • Different countries – different models?
  • What types of business models are being pursued at institutions in different countries?
  • Which funding programs or scholarships are available?

3. Challenges, Trends and Outlook

  • What are the main challenges?
  • Codes of conduct?
  • How can the quality of TNE delivery in Higher Education be assured?
  • What are the foreseeable big new trends?
  • How does TNE fit into HE institutions’ internationalisation strategies? What visions do the institutions have for 2020?

Drawing on examples from their own education systems and at their own institutions, a detailed understanding of the different systems and new developments of TNE will be elicited from experts from Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Canada and the United States of America.

Further information

Docs

Programme (pdf, 1.32 MB)

Photos