Does transnational education
compete with
international student mobility:
Evidence and strategic considerations
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.
Dr Vangelis Tsiligiris PhD, FHEA, FCMI
@tsiligiris
The competitive landscape in international higher education
Neoliberal
macroecono
mic policies
Market
liberalization
Rise of new
alternative
providers
Expansion of
capacity in
offshore HE
systems
Quality as
value for
money
Conflicting
government
policies
student as
customer
Government
Power
Threat of new
providers
Competitive
landscape in
international
higher
education
Substitutes
MOOCs,
Open Access
Content
Student’s
power
Quality as
value for
money
Abundance
of
information
Higher Ed market development options
Product (programmes, delivery modes)
New
Market Penetration
Product Development
 Local market(s)
 International students
Market
Existing
Existing




Market Development
New





Franchising
Validation
Progression agreements
Dual degrees
Branch Campuses
Personalised learning
Online
Modular delivery
Post-MOOC
Diversification



Contextualised
programmes
Joint ventures
Joint degrees
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
Malaysia
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
Outbound and inbound mobility ratios (%)
(1998–2011) (Source: UNESCO)
Top destination countries for outbound students from Malaysia
(1999, 2005, 2011) (Source: UNESCO)
Malaysia
Number of students from Malaysia in the UK
(1998–2011)
Students from Malaysia studying in the UK per 100 students from Malaysia
(1998–2011)
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 outbound mobile students
(2007/08–2011/12)
Students studying wholly overseas vs Chinese students in the UK
(2007/08–2011/12)
China
Outbound mobile students from China - (1998–2012)
International Students in China - (2004–2011)
China
Outbound mobility ratio (%). (1998–2011)
Top destination countries for outbound students from China
(1999, 2005, 2011) (Source: UNESCO)
China
Students from China studying in the UK per 100 of students
from China studying abroad – (1998-2001)
Summary of findings
Students
studying on
UK TNE
Outbound
mobility
Inbound
mobility
UK as
destination
for students
from TNE
host country
High growth
Minor decline
High growth
Minor decline
High growth
Minor decline
High growth
Decline
Not for the
UK; some
indication for
Australia
Hong Kong
Growth
Minor decline
Growth
Growth
Minor for
both the UK
and Australia
China
Minor Growth
Very high
growth
Very high
growth
High growth
Malaysia
Singapore
Substitution
Effect
Minor for the
UK
No
Developmental process policy model for the TNE market
International business strategies for higher education
High
Globalisation Strategy
e.g. Branch Campuses,
online, international
students
Brand recognition
across borders
&
% of total resources
available for
international
activities
Export Strategy
e.g. franchising, twinning
and articulation agreements,
online delivery
Multi-domestic
Globalisation Strategy
e.g. Branch Campuses and
bespoke academic programmes,
joint and double degrees
Multi-domestic Export
Strategy
e.g. validation, joint
ventures
Low
Low
High
Value of contextualization in
offshore target market
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_Marketpl
ace_Identifying_Business_Strategies_to_Succeed_parts_1_and_2_
Thank you for your attention !