A study by the Universities UK and GuildHE reveals a shift in UK-China transnational education partnerships, driven by improved education quality in China, changing locations for programs, and the UK’s evolving international education policy. These changes may require innovative future collaborations, signaling a new era of educational partnerships.
A report commissioned by the Universities UK and GuildHE, and undertaken by The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, reveals a shift in the dynamics of UK-China transnational education partnerships. The study was co-authored by Leina Shi, Director of Education at the British Council China, and Eduardo Ramos, Director of International and Professional Services at QAA.
China has been encouraging collaboration between its higher education institutions and their foreign counterparts since the 1990s, resulting in over 1,400 active partnerships for bachelor’s degrees and above. British universities have been a popular choice for such collaborations, but data indicates a decline in the proportion of partnerships with the UK – from over one-fifth of all partnerships in 2019, to just 12 percent of new approvals from 2020 onwards.
This deceleration does not necessarily signal an end to the golden era of UK-China educational collaboration. Instead, it suggests a transformation in the nature of such partnerships, driven by various factors such as improvement in the quality of education in China, changing location of provision, and the UK’s evolving international education policy.
Based on the report, the primary driver of change is the enhanced quality of education in China, partly due to previous international collaborations. As a result, Chinese students are increasingly opting to study domestically, and Chinese universities are becoming more attractive to international students and faculty. This may impact the growth of joint institutes and programs with UK institutions.
The second factor is the shift of TNE partnerships from China’s industrialized eastern coastal areas to less developed central and western regions, prompted by China’s growth and the Ministry of Education’s encouragement of TNE in these areas.
The UK’s new International Education Strategy, aiming to diversify partnerships and attract over 600,000 international students by 2030, represents the third factor impacting UK-China TNE partnerships. This strategy aims to develop a resilient higher education industry, with TNE partnerships in countries offering favorable demographic, economic, and political conditions.
While improved quality and diversification in both countries may have contributed to a slowdown in new joint programs, it is unclear what this trend indicates for the future. Future collaborations may require innovative, flexible models that include digital and non-formal learning. As mutual challenges in both countries continue to demand solutions, sustainable and high-quality collaborations in higher education may well represent the next era of UK-China educational partnerships.
