Post on 17-May-2020
QAA’s approach to transnational
education (TNE)
Dr. Fabrizio Trifiro’, Deputy Head International, QAA
Workshop on Quality Assurance for
UK-China Transnational Education
18 March 2016, Beijing
• The UK quality assurance system and the
role of QAA
• QAA’s approach to transnational education
• The 2012 review of UK TNE in China
• Inter-agency cooperation: Cooperation in Cross-Border Higher Education – A Toolkit
for QAAs
Structure of presentation
There is no general higher education law in the UK• HE policy is devolved to each of the four nations of the UK
UK degrees must be awarded by legally approved degree-awarding bodies (~160 Recognised Bodies)
Degree-warding bodies are independent and self-governing:• They are self-accrediting• They retain the ultimate responsibility for quality and
standards
UK quality assurance system
The Higher Education Funding Councils of the four nations have the statutory responsibility for the quality of public funded HE
The Funding Councils contract this responsibility to QAA, an independent organisation.
Co-regulation: HE providers and Funding Councils work together to assure the quality of UK HE through the QAA
UK quality assurance system
We develop reference points setting out expectations for UK
HE providers (The UK Quality Code for Higher Education)
We undertake institutional peer-reviews to check HE providers
meet those expectations
Note:
QAA does not assess the quality of research
QAA does not accredit programmes
QAA's review activity extends beyond publicly funded
provision, including TNE
QAA’s mission and remit
Mission: to safeguard standards and improve the
quality of UK HE wherever it is delivered
Over 80% of UK universities are involved in
some form of TNE, delivered all over the world
TNE is the main area of growth
0
500000
1000000
1500000
2000000
2500000
3000000
2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15
Total students in the UK International students in the UK
Off-shore students
Top 5 UK TNE host countries
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
80000
90000
2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15
Malaysia China
Singapore Pakistan
Hong Kong (SAR of China)
Institutional review processes in the UK are comprehensive
A dedicated TNE review process supplements UK reviews
A country-based approachIndia (09), Malaysia (10), Singapore (11), China (12), UAE (13),
Caribbean (14), Greece/Cyprus (15)…16/17 Hong Kong & Ireland?
A partnership approach Liaise with counterpart agencies to facilitate the review of TNE, e.g.
information sharing and coordination of QA activities
The quality assurance of UK TNE
TNE review process
Stage 1
• Data analysis
• Aimed at obtaining understanding of the extent and variety of UK TNE in the destination country, with a view to selecting TNE provision to be reviewed
Stage 2
• Desk-based analysis
• Aimed at obtaining a preliminary understanding of how a provider fulfil their responsibility for the quality and standards of the TNE provision under review
Stage 3
• Review visit
• Aimed at testing information provided for desk-based analysis, following up on issues identified through desk-based analysis, and the student experience
Stage 4
• Publication of outcomes
• individual reports and case studies on reviewed provision
• an update on the provision covered in previous country review (if applicable)
• a country overview report
• Reviewed 13 links, not only in Beijing and
Shanghai, but also Kunming, Dalian, Ningbo,
and Suzhou
• Liaised with CDGDC and local authorities
from the beginning Signing an MoU with CDGDC
Briefing CDGDC, the MoE, and the municipal education
commissions in Beijing and Shanghai
Inviting CDGDC to observe our review visits
TNE China 2012
Review visit schedule
• Stay abreast of changes in local regulation
• Double degrees / partnerships of equals
• Specific UK requirements: external examining
and moderation of marking
• Teaching and learning in the English language
• Multiplicity of models: a learning ground
TNE China: recurrent themes
Developing a Strategic and Coordinated Approach to the External
Quality Assurance and Enhancement of UK Transnational
Education (QAA 2015)
• Strengthen links between TNE review and domestic
institutional reviews
• Strengthen cooperation with counterpart agencies in key
UK TNE host countries
Consultation on strengthening the
quality assurance of TNE – final report
• Funded by the European Commission
• Undertaken by a project consortium led by ENQA:
ANECA (Spain), GAC (Germany), HCERES
(France), QAA (UK), TEQSA (Australia)
APQN and ANQAHE
• Main aim: Enhance international practice in the
QA of TNE / CBHE
• Main output: A Toolkit for QAAs to enhance inter-
agency cooperation in the QA of TNE / CBHE
The QACHE project (2013-15)
• Diversity of approaches and regulatory
frameworks for CBHE (in/out-bound)
• Lack of information and knowledge of
other agencies’ frameworks/approaches
• A ‘trust gap’ between home and host
countries about the quality of CBHE
• Lack of cooperation in the QA of CBHE
Key findings
Lack of trust
Lack of cooperation
Lack of information
The QACHE vicious circle
Inefficient QA
of CBHE
Trust
Cooperation
Information
The QACHE virtuous circle
Efficient QA of
CBHE
Networks
Offers practical guidance on:
(1) Information sharing: how QAAs
can improve the sharing of information
on CBHE
(2) Cooperation in quality assurance:
how QAAs can enhance cooperation
in its quality assurance
(3) Networks of agencies: how
networks of QAAs can facilitate
information sharing and cooperation
The Toolkit
• It acknowledges that QAAs don’t operate in isolation
• It recognise and respects the diversity of QAAs
The scope of the Toolkit
It is directed exclusively at QAAs (and networks)
It does not issue guidelines for the QA of CBHE
It is not prescriptive
Trust building is critical, but takes times & resources
• Adopt a strategic approach and long term commitment to
partnership building
Engage with all key stakeholders to facilitate the
implementation of the QACHE Toolkit
• with governments to enable policy/legislative change
• with institutions to identify areas of synergy and cooperation
• with students to understand their expectations for TNE
INQAAHE / QAA project on the
challenges to inter-agency cooperation
qaa.ac.uk
enquiries@qaa.ac.uk
+44 (0) 1452 557000
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Registered charity numbers 1062746 and SC037786
Thank you
f.trifiro@qaa.ac.uk