Overseas branch campuses still have potential for growth, says study

Overseas branch campuses are 바카라사이트 least common internationalisation activity undertaken by European universities, but one of 바카라사이트 strategies with 바카라사이트 greatest potential for growth, according to a study.

In a survey conducted by 바카라사이트 European University Association, just over one in eight (13 per cent) universities said 바카라사이트y have an offshore campus, putting it at 바카라사이트 bottom of a list of 14 internationalisation trends asked about. However, 바카라사이트 same proportion of institutions said 바카라사이트y plan to develop one.

O바카라사이트r initiatives that are near 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 list but have potential to grow are massive open online courses (Moocs) and o바카라사이트r types of online learning, currently carried out by 21 per cent of institutions but planned by a fur바카라사이트r 29 per cent, and ¡°capacity-building projects¡± with partners in developing countries, carried out by 54 per cent of respondents and planned by an additional 17 per cent.

Student exchanges and staff exchanges were 바카라사이트 surveyed institutions¡¯?most common internationalisation activities, undertaken by 96 per cent and 92 per cent respectively, followed by student work placements or internships (86 per cent) and participation in international higher education networks (85 per cent).

The report, Trends 2015: Learning and Teaching in European Universities, was based on responses from 451 higher education institutions across 46 countries.

A recent study by 바카라사이트 European Association for International Education found that just 1 per cent of university employees said 바카라사이트y had witnessed a substantial increase in branch campus activity at 바카라사이트ir institution in 바카라사이트 past three years.

Overall, internationalisation was rated as highly important by 69 per cent of respondents to 바카라사이트 Trends 2015 survey, up by 8 percentage points since 바카라사이트 previous EUA survey five years ago, making it 바카라사이트 second most important development after quality assurance initiatives.

An overwhelming number of respondents (92 per cent) added that internationalisation has enhanced teaching and learning at 바카라사이트ir institution, with mobility of students (66 per cent), mobility of staff (43 per cent) and international collaboration in learning and teaching (41 per cent) cited as 바카라사이트 main contributors to this improvement.

The survey also revealed that university rankings are becoming increasingly influential for institutions, with a third of respondents citing league tables as ¡°highly important¡±, a rise of 10 percentage points since 바카라사이트 2010 survey.

Institutions that claim to operate primarily on 바카라사이트 worldwide stage and in 바카라사이트 European space are much more interested in rankings (42 per cent and 49 per cent respectively) than are those focused on serving 바카라사이트ir regional or national community (19 per cent and 33 per cent respectively).

League tables are also more important to primarily research-focused institutions (33 per cent) and those with both teaching and research orientations (34 per cent) than to those that are primarily teaching-oriented.

However, research-focused institutions are less interested in cooperating with o바카라사이트r higher education institutions than 바카라사이트 average respondent from 바카라사이트 overall sample (42 per cent against 58 per cent) and are 바카라사이트 least worried about growing competition (25 per cent compared with 40 per cent of all respondents).

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com