Does transnational education compete with

international student mobility: Evidence and strategic considerations

Dr Vangelis Tsiligiris PhD, FHEA, FCMI

@tsiligiris

Citation:

Tsiligiris, V. (2014). Does transnational education compete with international student

mobility: Evidence and strategic considerations. Presented at the Council of Validating

Universities Annual Conference, Birmingham, UK.

Government

Power

Substitutes

Student’s power

ｷstudent as customerｸ

Abundance

of

information

Quality as

ｷvalue for moneyｸ

Neoliberal

macroecono

mic policies

Quality as

ｷvalue for moneyｸ

Conflicting

government

policies

Competitive

landscape in

international

higher

education

Threat of new

providers

Expansion of

capacity in

offshore HE

systems

Market

liberalization

Rise of new

ｷalternative providersｸ

MOOCs,

Open Access

Content

The competitive landscape in international higher education

Higher Ed market development options

Market Penetration Local market(s) International students

Product Development Personalised learning Online Modular delivery Post-MOOC

Market Development

Franchising Validation Progression agreements Dual degrees Branch Campuses

Diversification Contextualised

programmes Joint ventures Joint degrees

Product (programmes, delivery modes)

Existing New

Existing

New

Ma

rke

t

To TNE or not to TNE ?

From a student perspective;

will TNE replace international mobility?

OBHE study

1. What are the factors affecting student choice of TNE vs outbound mobility?

2. How do TNE and international student mobility trends compare in each of top TNE host countries?

3. How has the development of TNE enrolments in top TNE host countries impacted the number of outbound students from these countries studying in the UK?

Method

• Countries

– Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China

• Mixed methods approach

- Quantitative data (HESA, UNESCO)

- Qualitative data (personal interviews with TNE experts in each TNE host country)

Factors affecting students’ decision to choose TNE

Malaysia Cost of studying and traveling abroad Current UK visa restrictions Family pressures to remain at home Reduction in government scholarships to study abroad Development of local TNE programmes

Singapore as above, plus

Failure to get into leading public institutions Maintain a part-time job Be close to future employment prospects Perception about the quality of UK degrees

Hong Kong

as above

China as above, plus

Reputation of the awarding institution plays a significant role Dual degrees (as a Chinese award is considered more recognisable than

from an overseas institution)

Culturally compatible environment

Students studying wholly overseas vs outbound mobile students (2007/08–2011/12)

Students studying wholly overseas vs Malaysian students in the UK (2007/08–2011/12)

Malaysia

Malaysia Outbound and inbound mobility ratios (%) (1998–2011) (Source: UNESCO)

Top destination countries for outbound students from Malaysia (1999, 2005, 2011) (Source: UNESCO)

Students from Malaysia studying in the UK per 100 students from Malaysia (1998–2011)

Number of students from Malaysia in the UK (1998–2011)

Malaysia

Singapore Students studying wholly overseas vs outbound mobile students (2007/08–2011/12)

Students studying wholly overseas vs Singapore students in the UK (2007/08–2011/12)

Singapore Outbound and inbound mobility ratios (%) (2009–2012)

Top destination countries for outbound students from Singapore (1999, 2005, 2011) (Source: UNESCO)

Singapore Students from Singapore studying in the UK per 100 students from

Singapore studying abroad (1998–2011)

Hong Kong Students studying wholly overseas vs outbound mobile students (2007/08–2011/12)

Students studying wholly overseas vs Hong Kong students in the UK (2007/08–2011/12)

Hong Kong Outbound and inbound mobility ratios (%) (2003–2011)

Top destination countries for outbound students from Hong Kong (1999, 2005, 2011)

Hong Kong Number of students from Hong Kong in the UK (1998–2011)

Students from Hong Kong studying in the UK per 100 students from Hong Kong studying abroad (1998–2011)

China

Students studying wholly overseas vs Chinese students in the UK (2007/08–2011/12)

Students studying wholly overseas vs outbound mobile students (2007/08–2011/12)

International Students in China - (2004–2011)

Outbound mobile students from China - (1998–2012) China

Outbound mobility ratio (%). (1998–2011)

Top destination countries for outbound students from China (1999, 2005, 2011) (Source: UNESCO)

China

China Students from China studying in the UK per 100 of students

from China studying abroad – (1998-2001)

Students studying on

UK TNE

Outbound mobility

Inbound mobility

UK as destination for students

from TNE host country

Substitution Effect

High growth Minor decline High growth Minor decline Minor for the

UK

High growth Minor decline High growth Decline Not for the UK; some

indication for Australia

Growth Minor decline Growth Growth Minor for

both the UK and Australia

Minor Growth Very high growth

Very high growth

High growth

No

Malaysia

Singapore

China

Hong Kong

Summary of findings

Developmental process policy model for the TNE market

Brand recognition

across borders

&

% of total resources

available for

international

activities

Globalisation Strategy

e.g. Branch Campuses,

online, international

students

Multi-domestic

Globalisation Strategy

e.g. Branch Campuses and

bespoke academic programmes,

joint and double degrees

Export Strategy e.g. franchising, twinning

and articulation agreements,

online delivery

Multi-domestic Export

Strategy e.g. validation, joint

ventures

Value of contextualization in

offshore target market

Low

High

Low High

International business strategies for higher education

References

• Ennew, C., & Greenaway, D. (2012). The globalization of higher education. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved from http://www.palgraveconnect.com/doifinder/10.1057/9781137265050

• Hill, C. W. L. (2014). International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace (10 edition.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

• Kell, P. M., Vogl, G., Kell, P., & Vogl, G. (2012). Transnational Education: Big Business Around the Globe. In International Students in the Asia Pacific (Vol. 17, pp. 25–42). Springer Netherlands. Retrieved from http://www.springerlink.com.ezproxy.liv.ac.uk/content/w46n42719j6u7543/abstract/

• Molesworth, M., Scullion, R., & Nixon, L. (2010). The Marketisation of Higher Education and The Student As Consumer. Taylor & Francis.

• Tsiligiris, V. (2014). Transnational Education vs International Student Mobility: Substitutes or Distinct Markets? (pp. 1–53). The Observatory on Borderless Higher Education. Retrieved from http://www.obhe.ac.uk/documents/view_details?id=952

• Tsiligiris, V. (2014). The Competitive International Higher Education Marketplace: Identifying Business Strategies to Succeed, The Evolllution. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/8111253/The_Competitive_International_Higher_Education_Marketplace_Identifying_Business_Strategies_to_Succeed_parts_1_and_2_

Thank you for your attention !