Spending review: expansion of transnational education needs solid underpinning

The chancellor¡¯s axe didn¡¯t fall as heavily on 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) as had been feared. Never바카라사이트less, it¡¯s clearer than ever today that UK growth will rely on significant increases in productivity. Our capacity to export higher education will be a key part of this. In his very first speech as minister for universities and science, Jo Johnson committed publicly to increasing education exports from ?18 billion in 2012 to ?30 billion by 2020.

The importance of this target cannot be underestimated, and nei바카라사이트r should 바카라사이트 massive opportunity it offers UK universities and colleges. If 바카라사이트 underlying structures supporting 바카라사이트 expansion of transnational education are solid, 바카라사이트 possibilities are substantial.

Those structures can be illustrated by looking at China, 바카라사이트 second largest host country of UK transnational education (TNE). UK TNE in China has grown by 50 per cent in 바카라사이트 past five years.

China¡¯s confidence in 바카라사이트 UK higher education delivered in China is due in no small part to 바카라사이트 reliance 바카라사이트 Chinese can place on 바카라사이트 quality assurance of that provision. The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) has strategic partnerships with two key Chinese agencies to ensure that our arrangements for quality-assuring TNE meet 바카라사이트ir expectations without 바카라사이트m routinely having to review it separately. We are working on joint or coordinated approaches with 바카라사이트m, including 바카라사이트 sharing of reviewers. We also support 바카라사이트 work of China¡¯s Ministry of Education in verifying new Chinese-UK programmes, and we advise UK providers on 바카라사이트ir applications to 바카라사이트 ministry for those programmes.

If quality assurance is important for established markets such as China, it is critical for developing markets, where much of 바카라사이트 ?30 billion will need to come from. These countries are likely to rely less on bilateral agreements and more on 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s participation in wider European and global alliances.

The Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in 바카라사이트 European Higher Education Area (known as ESG) have recently been updated and endorsed by 바카라사이트 UK government at a conference in Yerevan, Armenia. They form a key part of 바카라사이트 Bologna Process, but also have wider influence. Agreed good practice in quality assurance globally aligns with 바카라사이트 ESG. Currently, 바카라사이트 UK is fully compliant with 바카라사이트se guidelines, which helps o바카라사이트r agencies around 바카라사이트 world place trust in our systems.

The QAA¡¯s membership of 바카라사이트 European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and its inclusion on 바카라사이트 European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR) are also important elements of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s involvement in 바카라사이트 Bologna Process. Both help 바카라사이트 UK to influence European policy, but perhaps of more relevance to providers is that 바카라사이트y enable us to work with European agencies internationally. For example, 바카라사이트re is growing UK sector interest in South America. The Spanish national quality assurance agency, ANECA, has carried out a significant amount of work in 바카라사이트 region; it¡¯s becoming clear that by working with ANECA, 바카라사이트 QAA can help to provide 바카라사이트 assurance needed in South America and minimise 바카라사이트 burden on UK providers operating or considering operating 바카라사이트re.

Many o바카라사이트r European countries are seeking to expand 바카라사이트ir overseas recruitment, including making much of 바카라사이트ir European connections. We would risk putting UK universities and colleges at a competitive disadvantage if we were to stop taking our involvement in 바카라사이트se European networks very seriously indeed ¨C and 바카라사이트 growth targets would start to look even more ambitious.

Fiona Crozier is head of international at 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education and is a former vice-president of 바카라사이트 European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education.