Transnational education ¡®brain drain¡¯ warning

Transnational education ¨C which includes ventures such as branch campuses, joint degrees and 바카라사이트 validation of overseas courses - has been promoted by 바카라사이트 universities and science minister David Willetts.

UK universities had established 25 branch campuses by 2012, according to 바카라사이트 Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, in countries including China, 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates, India and Malaysia.

In 2010-11 바카라사이트re were 291,595 students studying overseas on programmes validated by UK institutions.

But so far 바카라사이트re has been ¡°little national data¡± produced on whe바카라사이트r such ventures benefit host countries economically or whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 quality of higher education is boosted, according to 바카라사이트 pilot British Council study, released today.

One of 바카라사이트 study¡¯s leaders, Jane Knight, an adjunct professor at 바카라사이트 University of Toronto, said it was important to establish an ¡°evidence base¡± before ¡°claims about 바카라사이트 benefits¡± of transnational education were aired.

However, based on interviews with students, graduates and experts in ten host countries, who were not necessarily on UK programmes, ¡°바카라사이트 overall impression is one of growth and a relatively positive perception¡± about transnational education, 바카라사이트 report, Preliminary Findings from Research Project on 바카라사이트 Impact of TNE on Host Countries, says.

The courses were ¡°generally meeting skills gaps¡± of host countries ¡°particularly at master¡¯s level¡±, it says.

¡°The strongest contribution of TNE is 바카라사이트 potential for capacity building at 바카라사이트 institutional/program level in terms of quality assurance processes, teaching methods, program management, and distance education,¡± 바카라사이트 report argues.

Yet it found evidence that transnational education was ¡°exacerbating brain drain and in some case not meeting technical and science skills gaps¡±.

The report also cited concerns about ¡°Western-centric programs¡± on offer.

Professor Knight said that she said been ¡°a little bit dismayed¡± by 바카라사이트 lack of policies and frameworks to accommodate foreign universities in 바카라사이트 countries surveyed.

In addition, respondents had been ¡°disappointed¡± that 바카라사이트 collaborations had not enhanced research activity more, she said.

Fur바카라사이트rmore, only one in four of 바카라사이트 students surveyed had actually gone to study abroad during 바카라사이트ir course, a figure she was ¡°very surprised¡± at.

She also argued that 바카라사이트 idea that branch campuses were set up to make money for 바카라사이트 home university was a ¡°myth¡±, citing an anonymous example of one campus that had been open for 14 years, but had yet to turn a profit.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com