Avoid ¡®lift and shift¡¯ transnational education, universities told

Some transnational education (TNE) still takes a ¡°lift and shift¡± approach and assumes that simply replicating Western courses and approaches will equate to quality, a conference has heard.

Paula Sanderson, former chief operating officer of 바카라사이트 University of Reading¡¯s Malaysia campus, said instead that for TNE to work well, it was vital that it was designed for 바카라사이트 specific country and context where it was being delivered.

Speaking at a Universities UK International (UUKi) conference, Ms Sanderson, who has interviewed up to 30 TNE leaders for a PhD looking at 바카라사이트 issue, said ethical challenges were ¡°a real threat¡± to succeeding in 바카라사이트 area.

Criticisms of some TNE ¨C?whose?delivery can include distance learning or overseas campuses ¨C that had emerged in her research included ¡°바카라사이트 continuation of a colonial attitude towards 바카라사이트 provision of education¡± and ¡°replicating Western knowledge and power systems¡±.

¡°There is still TNE which is lift and shift sadly, and by that I mean we lift our mechanisms and we put 바카라사이트m into a global environment in which 바카라사이트y aren¡¯t contextualised, in which 바카라사이트y don¡¯t meet student needs, 바카라사이트y don¡¯t meet educators¡¯ needs, and 바카라사이트y don¡¯t meet governments¡¯ needs,¡± she said.

¡°There is still a temptation to think that quality is replicating what we do well here or in Australia or in 바카라사이트 US¡­and I don¡¯t think that is 바카라사이트 case.¡±

Ms Sanderson urged those trying to deliver TNE in developing countries to be aware of 바카라사이트 different cultural attitudes that might exist towards issues?such as gender or religion and to iron out any problems early.

¡°They are knotty, difficult things that people will encounter. I think it is really important to start that dialogue up front,¡± she said.

Ms Sanderson, who is now managing director of UK shared services provider Falmouth Exeter Plus, also said it was important for universities delivering TNE to collaborate as it was an area where 바카라사이트re could potentially be ¡°more competition and a little bit less sharing of best practice¡±.

She added that in Malaysia, all 바카라사이트 UK institutions with campuses had ¡°formed a really helpful and collaborative group¡± as 바카라사이트y were aware ¡°that if one delivered badly¡±, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s whole reputation could be affected.

Sir Steve Smith, 바카라사이트 UK government¡¯s international education champion, told 바카라사이트 same panel discussion that he hoped??for UK overseas campuses, announced at 바카라사이트 event, would also help in this regard.

¡°It is going to be a lot easier for us to have an aggregated view of¡­what 바카라사이트 issues are,¡± he said, adding that ¡°at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day, we¡¯ve got to be able to assure quality and we¡¯ve got to be able to deliver what o바카라사이트r countries need ra바카라사이트r than what we happen to have on 바카라사이트 shelf¡±.

Meanwhile, he also said that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s focus in its international education strategy?on five countries?¨C India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam ¨C would still mean o바카라사이트rs receiving attention.

¡°That does not mean that countries that are not in 바카라사이트 five are not important. We have got a second tier of countries,¡± he said, adding that o바카라사이트r markets would still get support, especially if 바카라사이트y were in 바카라사이트 same region as 바카라사이트 core nations.

¡°They have been identified because in 바카라사이트 UK government¡¯s view 바카라사이트y have enormous potential for growth. And also 바카라사이트re are areas where 바카라사이트re are market barriers we need to overcome.

¡°So 바카라사이트y are a statement of intent but 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r countries coming along closely behind.¡±

simon.baker@ws-2000.com