QAA takes part in event on TNE

QAA's Director of Public Affairs Eve Alcock spoke this week at a webinar on transnational education (TNE) organised by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) in conjunction with Lancaster University.

The online event's speakers included Professor Andy Schofield (Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University), Jazreel Goh (Country Director Malaysia for the British Council), Griff Ryan (Head of Transnational Education at Universities UK International) and Professor Elizabeth Lee (CEO of Sunway Education Group, Malaysia). The event was chaired by Josh Freeman, Policy Manager at HEPI.

The webinar asked, in the context of the government’s ongoing review of the International Education Strategy, what the future may hold for people studying for UK qualifications abroad via transnational education.

Eve suggested that in many ways TNE feels like a "land of opportunity" for the HE sector – not only as a strong area for growth but because of how crucial higher education is in building the UK's soft power internationally and strengthening global ties.

She emphasized the vital role that quality and the perception of quality play in the success of UK TNE – in maintaining UK higher education's reputation and position on the global stage.

"The emphasis needs to be on stable and sustainable growth," she said.

Griff was also eager to underline the importance of sustainable growth in transnational provision and of ensuring that the regulatory and quality systems which underpin the value of UK TNE remain fit for purpose.

While Jazreel highlighted the ways in which TNE can make "a positive impact on global communities", Professor Lee outlined the value of her own organisation's history of international partnerships – including its partnership with Lancaster that has now flourished for nearly 20 years.

Professor Schofield emphasised that TNE is a critical part of Lancaster's work in relation to growing the university's influence and building its global reputation. He also underlined the importance of working in partnership with other institutions and prioritizing the value of local integration.

"Navigating the regulatory requirements is often a hurdle," he added – pointing out that "it's great to have QAA represented here" – and stressing that, in its transnational activities, his institution guards its reputation for quality with everything it can.

Lancaster University operates transnational provision in China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Ghana and Germany – provision which serves more than 10,000 students – and is a participating institution in QAA's Quality Evaluation and Enhancement of UK Transnational Education (QE-TNE) Scheme.

The QE-TNE Scheme was commissioned by Universities UK and GuildHE and was launched in 2021 to support UK providers in enhancing the quality of their transnational provision. With more than 75 participating institutions (which between them serve about 70 per cent of the UK's TNE student population), the QE-TNE Scheme was commended in an independent report published in December by HEPI, which recommended that "as an ideal, the scheme should be expanded to include all UK transnational education providers".

You can find out more about the Scheme on our website.