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Raymond M. Kristiansen
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Transnational Education
June 10, 2002 - 08:21 AM
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<font>Opinion: Transnational Education</font>
"Over the last four decades, trade agreements and their concomitant reduction in tariffs and expansion of transnational movement of goods and services have generated global markets in excess of $4 trillion annually. Market demand for world class human capital has kept pace and to respond to this demand, education and training programs have moved beyond traditional models of classroom-based, seat-time instruction. Cyber dimensions of learning have also emerged through advances in information technology such as the Internet." - from edugate.org
Transnational Education (education spanning over more than one country) is a booming industry. Think about it, how educational institutions in different ways tap into the global market. Some education institutions branch into new regions, using their global prestige to attract students to come to these private institutions in new countries. This kind of branching is, for instance, very common in eastern europe.
With the private institutions spearheading, the trend is also towards joint degrees where the students get their education at more than one university, like the example of the International MBA at the University of Florida. There students can take parts of their courses in for instance Hong Kong.
There is a huge difference between the classic "studying a few semesters abroad" to these more closely collaborated joint degrees. When you study abroad for one semester at some "random university", there is not always a guarantee that the courses at your host institution will fit well with the courses at your home institution.
Since this is not an article I do not wish to focus too much on introducing the topic of transnational education. My point of view is that transnational education/joint degrees etc sound very good, but there is the matters of
cost for the end user (student)
too much harmonizing of different educational systems in different countries.
To take the last point first. Why is harmonizing/tuning of educational systems in different countries something I am sceptical towards? Of course, I am not sceptical against making it possible/easier for students to study abroad, as part of their degree at their home institutions. I am rather sceptical towards a system where there is a risk of losing the diversity which today exists. I believe in harmonizing, but not making equal.
Cost for the end user - well there is a growing movement towards letting the end user pay more of the costs for higher education. This is, maybe, a part of the whole liberal goal of reducing the state/government's stakes in areas where the market should be able to stabilize itself. Or it might be merely a result of the fact that today's students are studying far too long in the view of the government (like in Germany, or Norway), and to make the student more aware of the costs of this would be one way of making them finish their studies faster.
I am very well aware of the fact that I am speaking here from a very northern European perspective. In Norway, higher education is today free for the student. (at most higher education institutions, unless a few private ones). This system is under heavy pressure internationally, especially under the framework of the GATS treaty.
I do not know much about the discussion in other parts of the world (outside Europe), and would be very pleased for any comments from people knowing about the current discussion/situation in South America, Africa, Asia or Australia / New Zealand.
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Nigel Kehler
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British Columbia, Canada
June 10, 2002 - 04:47 AM
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This is very popular with British Columbia public high schools right now. The go mostly all over Asia to different seminars and talk at high schools trying to lure certain young (usually around 15 years old +) high school students to come to a BC high school and pay around $20,000+ year. With about a 1000 of them in the BC high school system right now, it gives the educational system an extra $20,000,000. This is a ton of money for a school system that is getting money cut left and right by our new provincial government.
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Raymond M. Kristiansen
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Larry Kuehn article
June 10, 2002 - 08:32 AM
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Larry Kuehn, Director of Research and Technology with the British Columbia Teachers' Federation, has written an article about how the commodification of education is showing itself. (mostly using examples from Canada or the US).
The article, which is written with a certain anti-commercialism point of view, is online here
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Adam Fletcher
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The Cost of Education
June 10, 2002 - 09:08 AM
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As consumers living in capitalist economies, it shouldn't be a surprise that our education systems are becoming more and more commodified everyday.
A popular issue here in Washington state is the commercialization of schools <http://www.commercialfree.org/>. The influences of corporations in schools range from Coke and Pepsi locking schools into high dollar contracts for exclusive sales rights to the Army 'giving' book covers to junior high students.
Recently there has been an influx of corporate dollars into the *operations* of schools, and that's what really concerns me. Bill Gates' foundation is pumping money into schools across the US and around the world <http://www.gatesfoundation.org/education/default.htm>. While this looks great, it causes me pause when corporations pile money into schools with a great deal of conditions and premises.
The stream of corporatization and consumerism choking our schools is only indicitive of what's going on in our lives though. We get so many messages streaming into our lives that we don't think about. How about the impact of junk food and fast food on child health and nutritional status; the effects of the media television, music, celebrities; fashion (dress-related problem behavior such as sexism, competition, theft and violence); the illicit promotion and use of alcohol, tobacco or guns throughout the US and Canada; continued exposure to environmental, industrial and noise pollution and more. We've gotta challenge corporate influences on our communities, and fight back this terrible crud.
http://freechild.org = Resources for Social Change By and With Young People
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Nick Moraitis
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Australia
June 10, 2002 - 10:03 AM
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Hey... my course (Arts, which is one of the cheapest) is AU$5000 a year. The government provides about $10,000 in addition per student to the university. If I choose, the government can pay my amount until I leave university and earn a certain amount of money ($20,000 a year?) and then I will have to pay it back over a a few years, like a loan. Courses such as Law cost about $12,000 a year so if you did that you'd get a debt of about AU$60,000 ($40,000US) over a 5 year undergraduate degree.
Australia is also very much into the international education thing. For example, international students make up sometimes close to 40% of all students at my university in subjects such as Commerce and Law. For the universities, they make up a very important source of revenue because they pay much more than local students. But it is perhaps also a worrying trend, because an argument could be said that the universities should not have to subsidise local students with the money they get from international students -- instead, the government should just provide proper funding. Another criticism is that local students have to get very high scores to get into Law, for example, whereas an international student with lots of money (generally from America, Asia or Scandinavia) can 'buy' their way into a course even if they have relatively bad marks 
I agree with some of these points, but also very much enjoy the international feeling these students bring to the university: new perspectives, new ideas, new cultures etc. Interesting!
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Ha Thi Lan Anh
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Re: Australia
June 10, 2002 - 11:15 AM
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Originally posted by nick
Another criticism is that local students have to get very high scores to get into Law, for example, whereas an international student with lots of money (generally from America, Asia or Scandinavia) can 'buy' their way into a course even if they have relatively bad marks
Really?? wow surprise
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Raymond M. Kristiansen
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Re: Australia
June 11, 2002 - 03:28 AM
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Originally posted by nick
Australia is also very much into the international education thing. For example, international students make up sometimes close to 40% of all students at my university in subjects such as Commerce and Law. For the universities, they make up a very important source of revenue because they pay much more than local students. But it is perhaps also a worrying trend, because an argument could be said that the universities should not have to subsidise local students with the money they get from international students -- instead, the government should just provide proper funding. Another criticism is that local students have to get very high scores to get into Law, for example, whereas an international student with lots of money (generally from America, Asia or Scandinavia) can 'buy' their way into a course even if they have relatively bad marks
I agree with some of these points, but also very much enjoy the international feeling these students bring to the university: new perspectives, new ideas, new cultures etc. Interesting!
In Norway the universities are really feeling how the competition from education institutions in among other places Australia are getting stronger. Actually, statistics show that in 2001 3079 norwegians were studying in Australia, which is a 490% increase from 97-98. This means that currently there are more norwegian students in Australia than in the USA. Why? Lower tuition fees and easier to get in. So yes, I really believe that among others Norwegian students are buying their way into a course. In fact, there is a homepage which is quite informative. The thing is that it is not the students themselves who pay for these studies, but the Norwegian government. Noway sponsors uptill 6.000 US$ of the tuition fees for Norwegian students who are accepted to accredited institutions abroad. As you can understand, this is a booming industry for among others Australian universities. In fact, there are several 'agents' whose only job is to lure students to studying in Australia. The impression people from the university system in Norway is getting is that "Australia welcomes you with beaches, warm weather, and party atmosphere". Norwegian universities are now not only sporting to scorn non-serious Australian universities, but also these agents and how they are "abusing" Norway's tuition grants to make profits for themselves. Oh the newest thing is for Norwegian students to study in Bali! Wow, that must be because of the Excellent education they have over there...
In fact, Norwegian universities are also exploiting this trend a bit. By establishing bi-lateral contacts with universities in - for instance - Vietnam and telling them not too loudly that "Psst, Norwegian students get grants from the government which makes it able for them to pay tuition fees of say 6000 US$ without problems". Don't quote me on this, tho hehe. But yes, there is an industry in which Norwegian students are paying for entry to some universities. I laughed some months ago when I heard of Norwegian medicine students in Hungary who flunked out because the education is too tough there. (Hungary is another growing country in terms of foreign students from Norway coming over).
What I am critical towards is how this affects entry of say Australians into their own Universities. If a quotum of 20% of the places goes to $$-paying foreigners, how does this affect australian student's prospects of entering a HE institution? Also, this is part of commercialising the whole education space and making your money more important than your .. brains. Personally I find this trend offending.
Originally posted by Kebie
This is very popular with British Columbia public high schools right now. The go mostly all over Asia to different seminars and talk at high schools trying to lure certain young (usually around 15 years old +) high school students to come to a BC high school and pay around $20,000+ year. With about a 1000 of them in the BC high school system right now, it gives the educational system an extra $20,000,000. This is a ton of money for a school system that is getting money cut left and right by our new provincial government.
Yes, Canadian Universities are also a growing provider of "educational services" to students abroad. I don't know much about high schools tho, but I am convinced that what you say is true. Yes, it seems that a lot of these institutions go to these strategies because of waning funding at home. "So what if we have to sell ourselves a bit to students from other countries to get some hard-needed income?". We need to focus on education being a govermental/public responsability, and tell the people the situation. As nick says, of course it is good to have an international environment at a university. When I was in the student's union, I urged through student media for more students to go abroad, and to be better at welcoming foreign students who came here. But I think it is wrong if there is more focus on the financial profits inherent in this than by the cultural, social and academic integration which might come out of it.
Even tho the situation freechild is referring to is not that developed in Europe/Norway yet, it is something we need to consider. Commercialism in education is not a very good thing, if the country can afford to avoid it.
dltq
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Raymond M. Kristiansen
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Re: greattttttttttttttttt
June 16, 2002 - 03:11 AM
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Originally posted by raihankazim
I do agreeee
Raihan
in order to take the discussion further I have to ask you: with what is it that you agree?  what is your experience/perspective on this issue. Do you know of any online sources /pages where these topics are discussed?
cheers,
dltq
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Raihan
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greattttttttttttttttt
June 16, 2002 - 12:28 PM
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I do agreeee
Raihan
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Ha Thi Lan Anh
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Re: Re: greattttttttttttttttt
June 17, 2002 - 10:13 AM
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Originally posted by dltq
in order to take the discussion further I have to ask you: with what is it that you agree?
cheers,
dltq
I agree
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Ha Thi Lan Anh
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Re: British Columbia, Canada
June 17, 2002 - 10:33 AM
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Originally posted by Kebie
This is very popular with British Columbia public high schools right now. The go mostly all over Asia to different seminars and talk at high schools trying to lure certain young (usually around 15 years old +) high school students to come to a BC high school and pay around $20,000+ year. With about a 1000 of them in the BC high school system right now, it gives the educational system an extra $20,000,000. This is a ton of money for a school system that is getting money cut left and right by our new provincial government.
its soo pupolar in Vietnam now that many highschols from UK, US, New Zealand and OZ come to adverstise about their schools and" offer scholarship" .. actually that scholarship is the financial aids that most students in their school have .. the vietnamese students have to pay heaps of additional money 9which is actually the normal tuation and living expense)...those schools do big business here with their tricky tips..howver int eh states some colleges use part of this huge money they have from " big pocket" students to grant full scholawships to 1 or 2 outstanding vietnamese students or those from developing countries.. but Canada i dont think they have that kind of thing.. umm anyway compare to the big money they get .. thaz really mean..
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onyinye
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Transnational education...
June 17, 2002 - 11:10 AM
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Well, though the article has many relevant points, i think the author is failing to mention the main reason for transnational education. To answer the question, we have to look at the program that was mentioned in this article. The author used the International Business program in Florida as an example.
As the world is becoming smaller it becomes imperative that members of society who want to be major players in the global market should have indepth knowledge of the societies in which they want their goods to be marketed. To have this knowledge, it is important, that these people know the language and the culture of these societies to build trust.
Transnational education enables this to occur. For example, if i take an international business course and my main interest in this major is to learn about the Asian market. I would probably choose to take a year or two to live within that culture, so i can study them more: study the explicit as well as implicit part of their culture.
So that when i interact with them, i would know the ground rules and not break them. This is a key element in Transnational education.
The author of this article also mentions that since some countries make education free, this makes people spend more years in school. Okay, i agree that there are some people who take a long time to finish their major but there are many others who have a genuine interest in their subject that they would like to take it to the highest level they can. If a country recognizes this and pays for it, i think that country should be praised and rewarded because they are creating a highly literate community that could work in other parts of the world and therefore bring good repute to their nation.
In addition, some people use education as a way of escaping from the real world. Generally, this happens when the economy in that country is going downhill. The problem becomes, how do economists and leaders of the nation ensure that the economy is strong enough that individuals have confidence and want to go into the job market?
I support Transnational education.
Thanks,
onyi
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Raymond M. Kristiansen
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Re: Transnational Education
June 18, 2002 - 03:22 AM
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Thank you very much for your comments onyi.
Firstly, I am not Against Transnational education (TNE). I am as little against it as I am against globalism, or the USA. This, however, does not mean that I am not critical towards certain aspects/bi-effects of TNE, globalism, or the US international policy.
I am Certainly not against people studying abroad, or that a business school offers a degree where studying abroad is an integrated part of the curriculum. On the contrary, I have always supported this, both personally and through different positions I have had within the university system. So when you say
Transnational education enables this to occur. For example, if i take an international business course and my main interest in this major is to learn about the Asian market. I would probably choose to take a year or two to live within that culture, so i can study them more: study the explicit as well as implicit part of their culture.
I fully agree with you. It is obvious that having been in Asia or planning to go there for a period of time is important if you are studying about Asia.
The author of this article also mentions that since some countries make education free, this makes people spend more years in school. Okay, i agree that there are some people who take a long time to finish their major but there are many others who have a genuine interest in their subject that they would like to take it to the highest level they can. If a country recognizes this and pays for it, i think that country should be praised and rewarded because they are creating a highly literate community that could work in other parts of the world and therefore bring good repute to their nation.
Now, my point was not to critizise that people study for a longer period of time. Again, we agree. I think people who have a genuine interest in their subject should be able to study it extensively, and also be Able to spend the extra time it takes to finish the course if one's approach to the subject is off the beaten path, and "paving the new path" takes longer time. We all know that research (as opposed to just passively taking in information) takes time.
In addition, some people use education as a way of escaping from the real world. Generally, this happens when the economy in that country is going downhill. The problem becomes, how do economists and leaders of the nation ensure that the economy is strong enough that individuals have confidence and want to go into the job market?
A very good point. My girlfriend, who is from Hong Kong, has told me about the current situation over there. Several of her friends from high school are having severe problems getting a job in a market characterized by deflation and massive layoffs. For those young people who can afford it, their solution is to continue studies, and my gf might also be doing this in '03 when she is done with her BA in European Studies. How to encourage individuals to have confidence and want to go into the job market? Well, I have no idea I mean, of course it seems popular with economists that cutting interest rates, and slashing taxes, are good ways to build up impetus for going into the job market/starting one's own business. How to make an economy strong? .. There are several ways of doing this, and part of my criticism towards the socalled globalism (which is not only about the fact that people are getting more globally minded, but also is a very strict economic development) is that one - for instance - thinks that making certain sacrifices are ok in order to make our economy strong. Mining corporations or oil companies who abuse the nature in (developing) countries for the sake of profits, for instance. Of course, this is just an aspect of globalism, there are loads of other arguments out there, but I think that discussion we could take in another thread.
You say that you support TNE. I do also - I support those aspects of it that you have mentioned in your comments. But there are other aspects of it that I do not support that eagerly.
As with globalism, TNE is not just about how it benefits the individual. It is also how several of the aspects of this movement influences the higher education market in certain directions, and especially how it might influence Quality Assurance, and furthermore how it might influence domestic policy in the education sector. I mentioned the GATS treaty earlier. I also mentioned the 'branching' industry. Of course, you might say, education is a commodity just like McDonald's burgers or the product of any other international chain of stores. But my position is that educational "services" is something quite different, and as such I find it hard to agree upon the notion that educational services should be put under the same international trade regulations (which WTO is basically about) as pizza delivery or the building of jumbo-jets.
To take the jumbo-jets example. Today, Europe and the US are having a trade dispute over how much either government is subsidizing their aerocraft industry. Here is an article from 2001 on the subject, and a quick search on google.com shows how this issue really can get political. The stakes are enormous.
Imagine that the Transnational education industry will have the same stakes in say 10 years. Already there is a bitter fight between the US and Europe over attracting students from overseas (a lucrative business). If education is put under the GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services) treaty, we might have a situation in the future where - for instance - Germany's funding/subsidising of it's tertiary educational insitutions become a source for a trade dispute.
Onyi said that it is good that some countries subsidise their higher education so that the education is (mostly) free for the students. Imagine a situation where the countries who do this are enforced by international trade regulation to stop doing this (because it is disrupting the (free) market). THIS is my main critizism towards the TNE.
I support trans-national education, but I am not sure if I fully support the TNE.
(if the last sentence didn't make sense, I am trying to distinguish between the concept inherited in the words trans-national education, and the TNE process which is, like "economic reforms", something which goes in a certain direction much more narrow than just promoting education across the boundaries)
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Raymond M. Kristiansen
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the discussion goes on
June 18, 2002 - 03:28 AM
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Hello, Just wanted to make sure you all got that there is another discussion on the discussion boards on this topic.
I know it is confusing that a discussion goes on at two places, and the posts from the discussion boards do not go here to the comments-page to the update, but that's how it is I guess.
cheers,
dltq
(this was posted as a comment to my update on TNE.)
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