Bodies across the UK encourage universities to join QAA’s UK TNE Quality Scheme

Public bodies, representative bodies and mission groups have come together across the UK higher education sector to support QAA’s new UK TNE Quality Scheme.

Developed through extensive consultation with stakeholders across the higher education sector, and in response to the renewed focus on TNE in the Government’s International Education Strategy, the new iteration of QAA's transnational education (TNE) scheme comes into operation in August.

Originally commissioned by Universities UK and GuildHE in 2021, the scheme has involved more than 70 UK providers which offer transnational education (TNE) provision to date.

The new iteration – the UK TNE Quality Scheme – has been formally commissioned by Universities UK, GuildHE and Independent HE, and is supported by University Alliance and MillionPlus.

The new Scheme has also now received support from public bodies in all four nations of the United Kingdom, encouraging providers to participate.

The Department for Education in England supports the scheme, and the Scottish Funding Council, Medr and the Department for the Economy Northern Ireland have also endorsed the scheme.

The new scheme provides practical support for UK higher education providers to deliver high quality TNE worldwide through peer-learning, policy insight, quality advice and staff training. It supports the continuous improvement of TNE quality, demonstrating that the UK sector’s commitment to delivering high quality TNE to students around the globe.

The launch of the scheme comes as QAA has been named as an adviser member of the UK Government's Education Sector Action Group (ESAG). ESAG brings together industry, government and representatives from across the education sector to implement the vision outlined in the Government’s International Education Strategy.

QAA Chief Executive Karl Leydecker said: "The new iteration of our TNE Scheme has been designed to meet the emerging and future challenges facing UK transnational education in a fast-changing global HE landscape. We are grateful to all those governmental, regulatory and sector bodies which have, across the four nations of the UK, recognised the value and importance of this approach in securing and enhancing the quality, reputation and sustainability of UK TNE around the world. We are grateful for their support and advice, and for their strategic foresight in understanding and demonstrating how the UK sector is at its most resilient and dynamic when it works together to ensure the highest quality for its students and stakeholders in its provision both at home and overseas."

The Department for Education in England said: “The Department for Education England supports QAA’s UK TNE Quality Scheme as a way to strengthen the quality of transnational education delivered by English providers, reflecting the priorities of the UK Government’s International Education Strategy. It encourages higher education providers in England involved in TNE to engage with the scheme.”

The Scottish Funding Council said: "We recognise that there have been significant changes in, and expansion of, TNE provision in the UK over the lifespan of the previous scheme, alongside changes to Higher Education policy and practice, all of which have had to be considered in designing the new scheme. We welcome the enhancement-led focus of the new scheme and acknowledge the benefit to universities of this approach."

Medr, the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research in Wales, said: "Medr endorses QAA’s UK TNE Quality Scheme as an important mechanism supporting the delivery of high-quality transnational education by Welsh providers. As part of this, Welsh higher education will continue to take part in the scheme, building on the previous QE TNE initiative."

The Department for the Economy Northern Ireland said: "The Department for the Economy endorses QAA’s refreshed TNE Quality Scheme as an important mechanism supporting the delivery of high-quality transnational education by our local higher education providers. The Department encourages its providers with transnational education activity to engage with the scheme."  

The Department for the Economy Northern Ireland additionally issued a ministerial statement: “The Transnational Education scheme presents a significant opportunity for our Higher Education sector to showcase its strengths on a global stage. By supporting high quality education overseas TNE helps to strengthen international partnerships, drive skills development and reinforces our reputation for academic excellence. It also delivers tangible economic and cultural benefits here, helping our institutions grow, innovate and remain globally competitive.”

MillionPlus said: "MillionPlus are pleased to be supporters of the QAA Transnational Education scheme. This scheme will play an important role in enhancing the quality of UK TNE and help to reinforce the sector's international reputation as trusted higher education partners."

University Alliance said: "University Alliance welcomes the QAA’s UK Transnational Education Quality Scheme as an important step in strengthening global confidence in UK TNE. Our members’ strong track record in high quality, professionally focused transnational education will be supported by a clear scheme that supports excellence for the benefit of students and partners."

As the commissioning bodies for the UK TNE Quality Scheme in their commissioning letter to QAA, Universities UK, GuildHE and Independent HE wrote:

"The continued success of UK TNE, and the sustainability of its growth, is underpinned by its reputation for quality. This reputation is recognised by students and their families, and by overseas regulators and agencies, and is what makes UK higher education institutions the partners of choice internationally. That is why visible, UK-wide, and sector-led action to safeguard and enhance the quality of UK TNE has never been more important, especially in light of the Government’s refreshed International Education Strategy which sets out an ambitious vision for TNE growth.

"Following the successful first cycle of the Quality Evaluation and Enhancement of UK Transnational Education scheme (QE-TNE), first commissioned by UUK and GuildHE in 2020, we are writing to reaffirm our commitment to QAA’s scheme for supporting and enhancing the quality of UK transnational education. 

"As representative bodies of the UK’s higher education sector, Universities UK (UUK), GuildHE, and Independent Higher Education (IHE) are formally commissioning QAA to continue the delivery of the UK TNE Scheme.

"As commissioning bodies, UUK, GuildHE, and IHE, will work closely with QAA to support strong sector engagement and ensure that the scheme achieves the widest possible coverage of the UK higher education sector. We will also play an active role through the Scheme’s Advisory Council to shape its ongoing development and ensure it remains aligned with the future needs of the sector. We endorse the scheme to our members as an important and valuable way to demonstrate the UK sector’s commitment to high quality TNE, and encourage them to partake in it."

QAA’s Director of International Engagement and Policy, Shannon Stowers said: "The UK TNE Quality Scheme has been designed to be flexible, responsive and cost-effective as it meets the needs and challenges of contemporary transnational operations, and to future-proof approaches to the quality of the United Kingdom's transnational provision for years to come, in a fast-growing, fast-changing and dynamic global higher education landscape.

"We look forward to working with the UK Government and other sector bodies in contributing to the strategic oversight of the delivery of the UK’s International Education Strategy."

Shannon gives more detail on the UK TNE Quality Scheme on the QAA Blog.