1 Quality Assurance for Transnational Higher Education: Lessons Learned from the UK’s QAA and Australia’s TEQSA Dr. Linda Chiang Professor Department of Education National U of Tainan Oct 3, 2014

Government Study Abroad TNHE Providers/ Source Country TNHE Host Higher education Market Government HE Market Government HEMarket TNHE Providers Government HE Market Source Country Domestic provision

Definition  Academic programs offered by awarding institutions of one country to learners who are located in another country

National Quality Assurance Mechanisms and Policies 1. Local HE programs and institutions QA Information exchange 3. Local HEI set up TNHE programs and institutions overseas Edu. Service Mode 1 & Mode 3 QA Information exchange Edu. Service Mode 1 & Mode 3 2. TNHE programs and branch campus at home QA Information exchange Conceptual Framework for National QA in TNHE

Developing QA for TNHE  Global Alliance for Transnational Education (GATE) (1995~2003): To develop and promote principles of good practice and accrediting quality TNHE  The ‘UNESCO/OECD Guidelines for Quality Provision in Cross-border Higher Education’: the 1 st int’l document approved by government representatives that offers guidelines for QA in TNHE.

To provide an int’l framework to protect students and other stakeholders from low- quality provision and disreputable providers. To sustain the development of quality cross-border HE that meets human, social, economic and cultural need s.

The conventional practices  Little QA and accreditation criteria for TNHE  Adopting minimum-requirement procedure: TNHE providers should be accredited by their home accreditation bodies  Adopting further requirement to fit to national needs and goals: e.g. Joint cooperation/ partnership e.g. Submitting annual report e.g. Renewing registration licence

Argument of the Study  National QA mechanisms and policies should assume the responsibility to develop appropriate frameworks for quality provision of HE across borders.

The Development of TNHE  Massive demand for TNHE: While internationally mobile students have been predicted to grow approximately 5.8 million by 2020 (British Council, 2012), the number students, considerably in excess of 100 million, continue to study home.  Set to grow faster than student mobility over the next decade

Implications for HE  At the leading edge of the most fundamental changes taking place in HE today (McBurnie and Ziguras (2007: 1)  An innovation begins in-depth transformation of HE in the long term (Vincent-Lancrin, 2009: 69)

This Study Aim  To identify key issues regarding QA of TNHE  To discuss the lessons learned from 2 TNHE leaders UK’s QAA Australia’s TEQSA (formerly AUQA)

Issues  Imposition of practices and philosophies associated with the home program: the current approach to QA in TNHE promotes educational imperialism (Pyvis, 2011)  Quality culture of both nations need to be considered (Eldridge & Cranston, 2009)  Applying the same quality procedures and standards, regardless of location and diverse forms of TNHE  Data availability: inadequate  Recognition of TNHE qualifications: an area of relative weakness.

The Current QA of TNHE (1)  British council (2013): About 2/3 of the study countries have some TNHE QA systems in place. Registration of TNHE with host country MoE TNHE provider is accredited in home country TNHE provider must get approval/license from host country MoE to operate QA reviewed/accredited the same as domestic HEIs since TNHE considered as part of the host education system

The Current QA of TNHE (2)  British council (2014): QA of TNHE undertaken: By local institutions (69%) By local QA bodies (54%) By partner/parent institutions (41%) and their QA bodies (35%)  Most TNHE programs and providers are undergoing some type of local- and partner-level QA process.

UK Experience  QAA has conducted audit of overseas provisions since 2006  By far, QAA conducted a review in China (2006, 2013), in India (2009), Malaysia (2010) and Singapore (2011)

Australia Experience  Since 2001, AUQA has audited all Australian Unis, including their overseas activities.  Depending on the nature of the operations and areas of risk, AUQA determines what needs further examination: by 2010, 155 offshore visits (partners and campuses)  TEQSA undertook one quality assessment in 2013, focused on third party arrangements : Using the findings to inform TEQSA‘s regulatory work and guidance.

QA in TNHE practices  Reviewing HEI’s QA framework, policies and procedures in place for its TNHE’s QA  Undergoing an evidence ‐ based annual self ‐ review for TNHE programs  Review panel delegation visiting overseas partnerships  The focus concern of QA in TNHE: For QAA: to protect the interests of everyone working towards a UK HE award, regardless of how or where they study, within the UK or overseas. For AUQA: to assure equivalence of degrees offered offshore compared to those offered onshore.

Conclusion: Progress in the QA of TNHE  From largely unregulated to regulated: TNHE becomes a regulated activity  Not only National QA systems for TNHE in place, QA practices have improved enormously over the last 10 years  Diverse TNHE forms and the context of host country/ institutions started to be considered.

Thanks for your listening Time for Q&A 19