Developing transnational strategy that opens a pathway for the delivery of education at an international branch campus that is relevant to the host students and region

Abstract

Globalization has intensified the demand for knowledge economies and societies. Higher education institutions are increasingly employing transnational higher education to contribute to this need, including international branch campuses (IBCs). IBCs have been considered conducive to global educational goals since they cross borders and reach a wider array of learners. Growth of IBCs is clear; yet, what remains less clear is how home institutions export tertiary education in ways that are relevant to host students and the host region. Without empirical knowledge on transnational educational relevancy, the goals of IBCs remain left to chance. The study that follows was focused on an IBC in Singapore that is operated by University at Buffalo in conjunction with a Singaporean regional partner. This study employed an instrumental case study and examined the factors associated with transnational higher education strategy that opened a pathway for relevant educational delivery at the host campus. The research involved participants from the home campus, host campus, and regional partner. The study examined transnational strategy and educational delivery through the theoretical framework of glocalization that stresses a balance of the global and local. The findings from this study revealed the need for the home institution to meaningfully contribute to the cross-border region where education is delivered, the importance of intentional transnational strategy that brings together home and host stakeholders, and demonstrated that transnational education becomes more relevant when global and local stakeholders and educational perspectives coexist. Keywords: international branch campus, overseas branch campus, foreign branch campus, transnational higher education, cross-border higher education, global higher education, tertiary education, glocalization, isomorphism.