Beyond the Borders:
Transnational Education
Dr Esther Wilkinson
TNE Business Development
Janet Scotland Strategic and Technical Briefing
10 July 2014
What is ‘Transnational Education’?
Transnational Education (TNE) is the provision of education
for students based in a country other than the one in which the
awarding institution is located (QAA, Dec 2013)
Type of TNE Activity (HESA):
- Overseas branch of UK awarding institution
- Overseas partnership:
- students registered at UK institution
- students registered at overseas institution
- Distance learning (may involve in-country support centre)
UK Education Exports and TNE
The UK is the world’s second largest
(13% of market), and fastest growing
(7% p.a.), provider of international
education
The UK’s education exports, now
worth over £18bn (2012), are the
UK’s fifth largest export, and the
fastest growing
Transnational education (TNE) is
currently a relatively small
component of this (£<1bn), but
investment is growing rapidly owing
to the background economics,
demographics and policy
environment that are supportive of
TNE as a delivery model
The UK TNE policy environment
Why the network matters to TNE
Network connectivity and services are just as critical to delivery of TNE as
they are for ‘NE’, but more the issues are more complex
Network connectivity is a critical consideration:
– Today the delivery of education, and the back office functions that supports it,
requires access to appropriate networked resources
– Not having appropriate network connectivity can result in serious issues, such
as reputational damage and significant, unbudgeted costs
– Organising appropriate connectivity to branch campuses can be complex and
expensive in the TNE markets of interest overseas
– It can also be difficult to arrange connectivity in a partnership model, where
the partner’s understanding of ‘appropriate’ may differ from a UK view
Having appropriate connectivity will:
– Facilitate delivery of TNE
– Enable integration of ICT across UK and overseas operations
– Reduce costs and risks to business
Janet’s role…..
– Delivering appropriate connectivity to the global TNE locations of interest to
our community
Janet TNE Support Strategy
‘Janet will help to enable its community to deliver its TNE activities
within the global markets of interest.
We will achieve this by extending Janet to overseas locations through
the development of new delivery partnerships and infrastructure, and
by providing advice and promoting opportunities for collaboration.
Where possible we will leverage existing assets as far as possible, and
particularly those operated by other international research &
education networks, but we will always select the most cost-effective
and appropriate mechanism to meet our customers’ needs.’
Janet TNE Support Programme
Market Intelligence
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the community’s
requirements
Delivery Models
• Janet Global Partnership: Strategic Alliances on TNE
• Janet Global Connect: Janet-delivered connections to global
locations
• New Pilot Projects
• Develop TNE Product & Service Portfolio
Business Plan
• Establish Janet’s ongoing commitment to customer
requirements 2015-onwards
Market Intelligence
Develop an understanding of the
community’s TNE activities today,
and the medium and long term
requirements
 Commissioned OBHE
 Focus groups and interviews with
30+ HEIs in Jan/Feb
 detailed questionnaire issued to
all HEIs in July
 Report to be published in autumn
2014
Delivery Models: Janet Global Partnership
Partnerships with other research
& education networks whose
communities are active in
transnational education
First Strategic Alliance agreed
with CERNET, the Chinese
Higher Education network, in
December 2013, making the best
use of the high-speed LondonBeijing ORIENTplus connection
Currently discussing similar
partnerships elsewhere
Delivery Models: Janet Global Connect
Commercial ISP connections
overseas procured and managed
by Janet
Leverages Janet’s expertise in
procurement of connectivity,
our global transit, and private
peerings
First connection delivered to the
Universities of Newcastle and
Southampton at EduCity,
Malaysia; several others being
negotiated or discussed
Delivery Models: New Pilot Projects
The Shape of
BIS Industrial
Things to
Strategy
Come I
(British
2013
Council)
2012
The Shape of
Things to
Come II
(British
Council)
HESA
2012/13
Janet
2014?
Priority Countries
Brazil
China
2013
Hong Kong
China
India
Malaysia
Malaysia
Sri Lanka
Colombia
USA
Singapore
Pakistan
Mauritius
India
Brazil
UAE
Singapore
Pakistan
Indonesia
Indonesia
Qatar
Mexico
Nigeria
South Korea
UAE
Dubai/UAE
Botswana
Saudi Arabia
Ghana
Turkey
Brazil
The Gulf
Indonesia
Saudi Arabia
Over to you…….
• Talk to your International Offices about planned TNE
activities, and the importance of addressing network
connectivity early in the planning stages!
• Want to understand more about the technical infrastructure
behind the Pilot Projects? Talk to Janet…..
• Completion of OBHE-Janet TNE Connectivity Requirements
Survey. If you haven’t received this – talk to Janet…..
• Current or planned activities in China or Malaysia? Talk to
Janet…..
• Specific TNE activities planned? Talk to Janet…..
Further Information
TNE-enquiries@ja.net
Janet Community Site
‘Transnational Education Support Programme’
https://community.ja.net/
Esther Wilkinson
01235 582124
Esther.Wilkinson@ja.net