Robust Quality Assurance of TNE

ongoing

Transnational education (TNE) (also known as cross-border higher education) is huge business globally, and is growing. in line with trends of internationalisation in higher education and globalisation in society more generally. While this form of higher education delivery has many benefits, for students, institutions and society, it also raises questions of quality and legitimacy of the education provision and student experience due to the general lack of clear and consistent regulation. The gaps in legislation and implementation with regard to quality assurance of higher education were recognised by the Ministers in charge of higher education of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). In the 2024 Tirana Communiqué, the ministers committed to promoting a ‘more robust and transparent quality assurance of transnational education delivered worldwide, in line with the ESG, to protect the interests of students’. This project (Robust Quality Assurance of TNE / ROQA-TNE) aims explicitly to respond to this commitment and enhance the transparent quality assurance of TNE by creating a better understanding of the state of play supporting national authorities and quality assurance agencies in reflecting on and improving their policies and practices for quality assurance of TNE. The project will specifically focus on TNE delivered by sending institutions in the EHEA to receiving countries outside the EHEA. The project aims to: 1) Explore and map current approaches and challenges to the quality assurance of TNE; 2) Facilitate peer learning, and share examples of good practice; 3) Support quality assurance agencies in reflecting on their own policies and methodologies for quality assurance of TNE through a self-assessment tool; and 4) extend and update existing guidance on quality assurance of TNE, and develop policy principles for national authorities.