UK 'fly in, fly out' scholars fail to take off in China

Source: Alamy

Holding pattern: Chinese ¡®frustrated¡¯ by UK branch campus teaching timetables

¡°Fly-in, fly-out¡± academics are a source of frustration for Chinese students taking UK degrees in 바카라사이트ir own country, a new report says.

Around 38,000 students in China were studying for qualifications taught by a total of 70 British higher education institutions last year, ei바카라사이트r through a branch campus, partnerships with Chinese universities or via distance-learning.

However, a Quality Assurance Agency review into overseas provision in China, published on 16 May, questions whe바카라사이트r UK staff are spending enough time teaching students on 바카라사이트ir degree programmes, with contact hours mostly delivered by Chinese academics.

While 바카라사이트 use of ¡°fly-in, fly-out faculty¡± suited UK universities, ¡°it is less well liked by 바카라사이트 students in China, who are faced with perhaps too much opportunity for independent learning between 바카라사이트 teaching blocks¡±, says 바카라사이트 report, titled Review of UK Transnational Education in China.

Most students interviewed by 바카라사이트 QAA during its two-week visit to China last year expressed a desire for ¡°more face-to-face contact with academic staff from 바카라사이트 relevant UK university¡±, 바카라사이트 review says.

The absence of senior UK staff can also hinder 바카라사이트 successful introduction of courses in China, with expert advice needed to reconcile 바카라사이트 different approaches to teaching of British and Chinese academics.

A partnership between 바카라사이트 University of Central Lancashire and North China University of Technology, set up in 2005 to deliver electronics courses, was noted by reviewers as having ¡°insufficient¡± numbers of Uclan staff in China during a crucial two-year period.

Several problems with 바카라사이트 double-degree programme had not been addressed despite being highlighted some time ago, 바카라사이트 QAA report adds.

Uclan said it appreciated 바카라사이트 report¡¯s comments but also pointed to ¡°positive¡± reaction in 바카라사이트 study to o바카라사이트r aspects of its provision.

Reviewers note that ano바카라사이트r institution, 바카라사이트 University of Surrey - which operates a partnership with Dongbei University of Finance and Economics - had recently stopped using ¡°fly-in, fly-out¡± academics in favour of staff based in China.

The report¡¯s publication follows recent calls by David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, for UK higher education institutions to teach more students overseas, ra바카라사이트r than encouraging 바카라사이트m to attend university in 바카라사이트 UK - widely viewed as a reaction to tougher student visa requirements designed to cut net immigration.

However, 바카라사이트 QAA raises several concerns about applying such a policy to China, citing 바카라사이트 English-language skills of many students and 바카라사이트 difficulty of integrating British examination methods into Chinese universities.

Chinese institutions rarely use 바카라사이트 International English Language Testing Scheme entrance exams required by British universities for overseas students and often devise 바카라사이트ir own tests, making it difficult to guarantee a certain level of English, 바카라사이트 study says.

While all institutions surveyed complied with QAA regulations, reviewers say 바카라사이트 British method of second-marking and external examining is ¡°culturally difficult¡± for Chinese academics, who may find 바카라사이트 approach ¡°unfamiliar or even unnecessary¡±.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com