My research

Transnational higher education has emerged as a crucial component of the global educational landscape, especially in nations like China. This growth can be ascribed to several factors, including the rising demand for international education, the necessity for cultural exchange, the ambition to remain competitive in the global market, and the diminishing trend of student emigration (Levatino, 2016).

In China, foreign institutions can only offer educational services to Chinese students by partnering with Chinese higher education institutions (State Council, 2003). As a result, transnational higher education in China must, in principle, be a cooperative undertaking operated in partnership with Chinese and foreign institutions, which requires "two ways of one-third." Foreign faculty are required to teach at least one-third of the courses in the TNHE programs; foreign partners must import at least one-third of the courses to the program, which needs to be delivered by foreign teaching staff (Ministry of Education, 2006).

Wang (2016) outlined a framework for transnational teaching and learning, highlighting five key components in intercultural dialogue (ICD): "understanding of learners and contexts, culturally sensitive pedagogy, contextualized curriculum, context-specific assessment, and supportive learning environment." He and Liu (2018) mentioned in their study on cultural influences in TNHE in China that language barriers and academic challenges are two significant obstacles to cultural adaptation. Tran and other scholars emphasized the importance of ensuring comparable quality assurance for students at home and host institutions, transferring knowledge effectively, fostering collaboration between academic staff, and achieving expected financial outcomes (Tran et al., 2022). In summary, the significant challenges faced by TNHE include language barriers, cultural adaptations, and context-specific curriculum and assessment.

My research contributes to the academic theorizing of transformative learning by comprehensively understanding its application in TNHE in China. It also offers practical recommendations for educators, administrators, and policymakers to improve the design and delivery of joint programs, ensuring they deliver real value to students and institutions alike. Ultimately, this study aims to advance scholarly understanding and provide actionable strategies for fostering transformative learning in transnational higher education.

References

He, L. and Liu, E. (2018), "Cultural influences on the design and management of transnational higher education programs in China: A case study of three programs", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 32 No. 2, pp. 269-283. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-02-2017-0044 

Researchgate: Nelly Jiewei Zhang (researchgate.net) 

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/nelly-zhang-1981a627

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