Formas de trabajo en la hacienda de Pampachacra

The British Council estimates that there are currently 240 000 students studying for United Kingdom higher education awards outside of the country (see 3.1 below for a detailed breakdown of this figure). Indeed, with innovations in delivery methods and the developing quality assurance schemes, it is no longer necessary for students to study full time in the UK to access a wide and varied range of British education opportunities. The vast majority of UK universities are involved in overseas delivery. It is estimated that at least 65 percent have some form of transnational education activity. Their motivations for delivering internationally and models of delivery vary depending on the programme and the country in which they are operating. This chapter describes the different ways that the United Kingdom degrees and foundation programmes are delivered outside of the country.

The UK is a major global player in both student recruitment and transnational delivery, and the distinction between the two is becoming increasingly blurred. Many transnational education students go on to study in the UK, and there is increasing involvement of private providers. Although there are no signs that the global education market has peaked, established markets are changing dramatically. While the growth in the number of students studying in the traditional markets of the Europe, the USA and Australia is slowing, education hubs are developing fast in other areas: students are increasingly travelling to Malaysia, Singapore, China or the Middle East rather than the West in search of an international education, delivered by either State, or increasingly, private institutions.

This chapter begins by defining transnational education in the UK context, explains the terminology commonly used, and then presents an analysis of the numbers of students and programmes involved. It then goes on to describe the changing market for UK transnational education and the policy response to the related changes, highlighting policies such as the second Prime Minister’s Initiative (PMI2). The Prime Minister’s Initiative acknowledges that not only demand drives the development of transnational education, and that the UK policy agenda focus on internationalisation and international partnerships is fundamental in an increasingly competitive and globalised market. Research studies onto UK institution motivations for transnational education engagement and views of students are also summarised.

5.1.1 Definitions of transnational education and different approaches to overseas delivery

The term “transnational education” is used in this chapter to refer to education provision from one country offered in another. UK transnational education includes a wide variety of delivery modes among which distance and e-learning, validation and franchising arrangements, and twinning and other collaborative provision. Most UK universities work with local partners in the delivery of programmes internationally. A local partner can be either a university or college (public or private) or sometimes an education agent. The responsibilities between the UK university and the local partner will be negotiated and agreed as part of the development of the programme. A local partner will typically be involved in some or all of the following activities:

i) Marketing and recruitment

ii) Student support (e.g. tutoring, library services, study skills support, counselling) iii) Teaching and assessment

However, within the university sector in the UK, the term “transnational education” is not widely used. Most universities use the umbrella term “collaborative international provision” or more commonly describe transnational education by its component parts e.g. “franchised provision”, “distance learning” or “branch campuses”. Similarly the research that the British Council has commissioned (Tang et. al. 2006, JWT Education 2005, 2006) has revealed that key target audiences involved in the local delivery of transnational education as well as students and other stakeholders are also not familiar with the term and typically use “distance learning” to describe the programme that they are undertaking or involved with. There is much debate surrounding the terminology used for UK programmes delivered abroad. The terms - distance learning, in-country delivery, twinning, collaborative programmes, e-learning, franchising etc. - are used by UK institutions to mean different things and are often used interchangeably. The glossary below tries to explain this terminology and gives examples from UK institutions to illustrate the different approaches taken.

Distance Learning

The term “distance learning” is used differently depending on the context in which it is used. Traditionally “distance learning” is used to describe a learning experience which has little or no face-to-face contact. Students are able to study at their own pace and have limited interaction with other students or tutors on their course.

In recent years, many distance learning programmes have developed to incorporate face-to- face teaching support. Such programmes are often described as “supported distance learning”, though international students often see these programmes as “part-time study” rather than distance learning. The teaching may be delivered by UK academics travelling overseas to teach part of the course, or through local tutors or academics, or a mix of the two.

Online Learning and E-learning

The term online learning (or virtual learning) is used to describe earning delivered via the Internet. High quality online learning is highly supported and interactive, as students are able to communicate online through chat rooms and email. Course work usually includes collaborative activities to ensure that students interact and learn from each other.

The more general term e-learning refers to any learning that is delivered electronically (internet, CD-ROM etc). Programmes using both e-learning and face-to-face tuition are known as blended learning.

In-country delivery/collaborative provision/partnerships

In-country delivery is used to describe programmes where the delivery mode is predominantly face-to-face (for the whole of a course or a part of it). Teaching is usually delivered through a local partner institution or through a branch campus. Most of the teaching will be delivered through locally based tutors. The level of UK input into the programme and delivery will vary.

Models of in-country delivery include90_:

i) Branch campuses. The UK institution creates a campus in another country. Staff

may be recruited locally or brought from the UK, but they are staff of the provider institution. The UK institution is the sole responsible for course delivery and all academic matters. Currently, the number of fully fledged branch campuses is very limited. The costs involved in the development and management of such ventures is prohibitive to the majority of institutions.

ii) Twinning programmes. The UK institution has a local partner, which partner

teaches part of the UK institution’s course, using their own staff. Students transfer to the UK institution’s own campus (in the UK) to complete the course, and receive a degree from the UK institution. Typical combinations are:

a. 1+2 – the first year of the degree programme is delivered overseas followed by two years in the UK

b. 2+2 - foundation and first year of the degree programme is delivered overseas and the final 2 years of the programme in the UK

c. 3+0 are delivered entirely by the partner institution and do not involve any period of study in the UK.

iii) The UK institution will provide the course material to the local partner, or agree to accept the partner’s own course as an alternative. The local partner is responsible for course delivery at their institutions, and the UK institution is responsible for monitoring academic standards.

iv) In-country foundation or access programmes. Many foundation or access

programmes are delivered outside of the United Kingdom. Some programmes prepare for entry to a particular degree programme in the UK, while others are more general.

v) Dual or joint award. The UK institution and local partner provide programmes

leading to separate awards of both or all of them (dual award) or to a single award made jointly by both or all of them (joint award). The programme content is usually developed together by the degree providing partners.

vi) Franchising. The UK institution licences a local institution to teach some or all of its

courses, so that students can receive the award of the UK institution without attending the UK campus. In this case, the local institution is responsible for delivery of the course, and uses usually its own teaching staff. The UK institution makes the final award and has overall responsibility for content, delivery, assessment and quality assurance of the programme.

vii) Validation. The course is developed and delivered by the local institution. The UK

institution judges whether it is of appropriate quality to lead to its award. The UK institution will determine the extent to which it exerts direct control over quality assurance aspects.

viii) Articulation. A related term (not specific to in-country delivery). This is a transfer

arrangement between a UK and a local institution. The UK institution agrees to

90 _{Appendix 1 provides a fuller analysis and classification system for the types of UK transnational} education provision.

recognise and grant specific credit and advanced standing to applicants from a named programme of study pursued in the local institution.