Abstract
This chapter sets ground to realize the exceptional significance of students to international branch campuses, which is a popular mode of transnational higher education. Mission statements of different international branch campuses are analyzed that converge on the fact that most of these institutions irrespective of the host country perceive student as their priority. The chapter then moves on to explaining student choice, in a situation where number of international branch campuses co-exist in a home country, such as the case of United Arab Emirates that hosts 19% of the world’s current branch campuses (Observatory, 2012). This information is then employed to expound how international branch campuses can progressively build student experience. Within this chapter, readers can find steps to build student experience in the first year of operation, followed by fine steps that can assist in progressively developing student experience. The chapter then addresses the significance of students in transnational higher education and how this can be developed, leveraged, and converted to be a potent tool such as to ensure sustainable branch campuses (a form of transnational higher education).
TopIntroduction
Start Up Operations at Transnational Higher Education (TNE)?
The growth and rise of TNE is due to change in the dynamics of internationalization. Both the major stakeholders in a TNE arrangement: the student and the degree offering institution have altered the traditional approach. The traditional approach being ‘study abroad’ for students and ‘recruiting students from overseas’ for Higher Education Institutions (HEI). From the degree offering institution’s side internationalisation agendas have pursued students to study towards an international qualification at their home base. Thus, the willingness to travel to overseas to study as the only option on offer available earlier is now shifted into the column of choice for students.
The globalization of higher education manifests itself in many different forms; transnational education1 is perhaps the most evident. The wide choice available in transnational delivery needs to be studied individually. Within the premise of this chapter, branch campuses, as a mode of transnational education will be looked into.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Induction Plan: Program designed in organisations to accustom new employees and prepare them for their new role.
Transnational Education: All types of higher education study program, or sets of courses of study, or educational services (including those of distance education) in which the learners are located in a country different from the one where the awarding institution is based. Such programs may belong to the educational system of a State different from the State in which it operates, or may operate independently of any national system.
Mission Statement: A mission statement identifies what an organization is and its reason for existence.
Internationalisation: Internationalization of higher education is an upcoming strategy for most universities where the aim is to more open to international students. In the world of higher education it means conducting cross border operations.
Student Experience: The value added component that a student anticipates to receive on enrolling in a particular institution.
International Branch Campus: A higher education institution that is located in another country from the institution which either originated it or operates it, with some physical presence in the host country, and which awards at least one degree in the host country that is accredited in the country of the originating institution (Observatory, 2012).