Abstract
Transnational education (TNE) expansion in Malaysia and China presents both opportunities and challenges for ensuring equitable student experience across geographically and culturally diverse locations. This presentation examines why student experience is critical to TNE success and explores strategies for achieving comparability with home campus provision.
Drawing on International Student Barometer (ISB) data and two institutional case studies: Manchester Metropolitan University’s partnership activity in China and the University of Reading’s campus in Malaysia. Student experience impacts institutional reputation, regulatory compliance, and sustainability.
Students at TNE should expect equivalent quality of teaching, resources, and outcomes, yet there is also the need to navigate distinct cultural, linguistic, and regulatory environments requiring thoughtful adaptation rather than simple replication.
We will demonstrate how institutions can monitor experience across campuses using consistent metrics while respecting local contexts.
The presentation concludes with evidence-based recommendations for ensuring all students receive excellent and equitable educational experiences regardless of campus location.
Learning objectives
- Articulate why student experience is fundamental to TNE success
- Identify key challenges specific to Malaysia and China TNE contexts
- Evaluate strategies for balancing standardization with localization
- Apply quality assurance frameworks ensuring campus comparability
- Develop action plans for measuring and improving student experience across TNE locations
Target audience
Those involved in TNE strategy, quality assurance, academic leadership, and student experience (teaching, professional services, and student support), particularly colleagues working with UK–Malaysia or UK–China partnerships and those using survey data (e.g. ISB) to enhance provision.
