Factors Affecting the Effectiveness of Transnational Education (TNE) Programmes – The Development of TNE in Vietnam within a Transnational UK Education Context

Abstract

Purpose: As there has been increasing demand for tertiary education globally over the past decade, TNE is proliferating and has become an essential aspect of higher education (HE). There has, however, been limited discussion in the literature about the effectiveness of TNE programmes, so it is difficult to know exactly what an effective TNE programme looks like, how to contribute to the success of TNE programmes and so on. Far too little attention has, moreover, been paid to the TNE programmes providing by the UK to Vietnam. This study aims, as a consequence, to narrow these research gaps and to contribute to the general theory of TNE programmes in HE by developing the concept of "the effectiveness ofTNE programmes", as well as exploring a model consisting of factors affecting the effectiveness of TNE programmes. Methodology: Two case studies for TNE programmes delivered by UK Universities with University B and University S in Vietnam were based on documentary review and semi-structured interviews. In each case study, two people in following groups of TNE stakeholders, including academic managers, administrators, teachers, students, parents, were invited to participate. Furthermore, two Vietnamese government representatives and two employers, who have knowledge and experiences in TNE programmes were invited to join the research. Findings: The idea of "the effectiveness of TNE programmes" was identified by exploring TNE key stakeholders' perspectives. Moreover, synthesising different aspects of research findings, a conceptual model assessing the impact of four factors including TNE curricula, students learning styles, student engagement, and cultural differences on the effectiveness of TNE programmes was created. Originality: The concept of TNE's key stakeholders and the model evaluating the effectiveness of TNE programmes could be seen as several main theoretical contributions to the literature on TNE programmes in HE. Furthermore, this thesis also has a practical contribution by providing several suggestions for designing suitable TNE programmes in Vietnam within a UK context. The findings have, therefore, important implications for policymaking, curriculum design and strategies for cooperation regarding TNE in general and UK TNE in Vietnam in particular.