Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Globally Transformative Student Experience: Challenges and Opportunities in Learning and Teaching in the Transnational Business Education Program

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Intercultural Studies in Higher Education

Part of the book series: Intercultural Studies in Education ((ISE))

Abstract

As universities internationalize and attract students from multiple transnational locations, more innovative curriculum design is developed that enables students and staff to communicate and act globally. When developing a global perspective in universities, creating the capacity to deliver programs in diverse international arenas is essential. Academic teaching staff strive to design collaborative learning experiences that enable students to engage in activities that deepen their cross-cultural knowledge, a capability that is required for future employment. However, the reality of designing and implementing learning activities in a transnational education program with culturally unfamiliar contexts that engages students is challenging. This chapter will use the lessons learnt from a case study of a transnational education project designed as part of a university global program. This project involved undergraduate students across an umbrella course (Global Learning by Design which incorporated international business and strategic management) within the management discipline, offered in Australia, Vietnam, and Singapore. It presents the key challenges for universities in implementing learning experiences that develop cross-cultural competencies. These challenges include resource management and allocation; pedagogical challenges in learning and communication; and management of normative values and students’ expectations, particularly in group tasks. The course aimed to empower students through the development of skills in cross-cultural management to contribute to decisions within diverse political, economic, environmental, and social contexts; and to work collaboratively and pursue continuous personal development related to their future as management professionals. The case study reflects the complexity of business and team engagement on multiple dimensions and provides opportunities for analysis and reflection at a deeper learning level, and a reduction of cross-cultural bias. The authors suggest that to address these challenges universities will need to consider issues of power and inequality inherent in teaching partnerships, and undergo a mindset change in order to develop global perspectives.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Altbach, P. G. (2009). Higher Education: An Emerging Field of Research and Policy. In M. Bassett & A. Maldonado-Maldonado (Eds.), International Organisations and Higher Education Policy: Thinking globally, Acting Locally? (pp. 9–25). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrade, M. S. (2006). International Students in English-speaking Universities. Journal of Research in International Education, 5(2), 131–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Australian Government. (2017, October 11). Guidance Note: Transnational Higher Education into Australia. TEQSA. Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency. https://www.teqsa.gov.au/latest-news/publications/guidance-note-transnational-higher-education-australia. Viewed 29 October 2018.

  • Australian Government. (2018a, June). Export Income to Australia from International Education Activity in 2017. Department of Education and Training, Research Snapshot. https://internationaleducation.gov.au/research/research-snapshots/pages/default.aspx. Viewed 29 October 2018.

  • Australian Government. (2018b, April). Offshore Delivery of Australian Higher Education Courses. Student 2016 Full Year: Selected Higher Education Statistics. Department of Education and Training. https://www.education.gov.au/selected-higher-education-statistics-2016-student-data. Viewed 29 October 2018.

  • Bannier, B. (2016). Global Trends in Transnational Education. International Journal of Information & Education Technology, 6(1), 80–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnett, R. (2000). University Knowledge in an Age of Supercomplexity. Higher Education, 40(4), 409–422.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bengtsen, S. S. E. (2018). Supercomplexity and the University: Ronald Barnett and the Social Philosophy of Higher Education. Higher Education Quarterly, 72(1), 65–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boon, G. C., & Gopinathan, S. (2006, June 18–30). The Development of Education in Singapore Since 1965. Background Paper Prepared for the Asia Education Study Tour for African Policy Makers. Available at http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EDUCATION/Resources/278200-1121703274255/1439264-1153425508901/Development_Edu_Singapore_draft.pdf. Viewed 20 September 2018.

  • Bovill, C., Jordan, L., & Watters, N. (2015). Transnational Approaches to Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: Challenges and Possible Guiding Principles. Teaching in Higher Education, 20(1), 12–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brydon, K., & Liddell, M. (2011). Supporting International Students Undertaking Australian University Studies. Social Work Education, 31(8), 995–1011.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caruana, V. M., & Montgomery, C. (2015). Understanding the Transnational Higher Education Landscape: Shifting Positionality and the Complexities of Partnership. Learning & Teaching, 8(1), 5–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2007). Research Methods in Education. London: Routledge and Falmer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Debowski, S. (2008). Risky Business: Effective Planning and Management of Transnational Teaching. In L. Dunn & M. Wallace (Eds.), Teaching in Transnational Higher Education (pp. 204–215). New York and London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Vita, G. (2002). Learning Styles, Culture and Inclusive Instruction in the Multicultural Classroom: A Business and Management Perspective. Innovations in Education & Teaching International, 38(2), 165–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dobos, K. (2011). “Serving Two Masters”: Academics’ Perspectives on Working at an Offshore Campus in Malaysia. Educational Review, 63(1), 19–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn, L., & Wallace, M. (2006). Australian Academics and Transnational Teaching: An Exploratory Study of Their Preparedness and Experiences. Higher Education Research & Development, 25(4), 357–369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Egan, M. L., & Bendick, M. (2008). Combining Multicultural Management and Diversity into One Course on Cultural Competence. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 7(3), 387–393.

    Google Scholar 

  • Egege, S., & Kutieleh, S. (2008). Dimming Down Difference. In L. Dunn & M. Wallace (Eds.), Teaching in Transnational Higher Education (pp. 67–76). New York, NY, USA: Routledge Education. (Chapter 7).

    Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg, J., Lee, H. J., Bruck, F., Brenner, B., Claes, M., Mironski, J., et al. (2013). Can Business Schools Make Student Culturally Competent? Effects of Cross-Cultural Management Courses on Cultural Intelligence. Academy of Management Learning & Teaching, 12(4), 603–621.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fletcher, T., & Coyne, C. (2017). Globalisation of Higher Education: A Guide for Transnational Higher Education Providers Looking to Operate in Australia. Insight. Minter Ellison. https://www.minterellison.com/articles/globalisation-of-higher-education. Viewed 29 October 2018.

  • Gribble, K., & Ziguras, C. (2003). Learning to Teach Offshore: Pre-Departure Training for Lecturers in Transnational Programs. Higher Education Research & Development, 22(2), 205–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heffernan, T., & Poole, D. (2005). In Search of “the Vibe”: Creating Effective International Education Partnerships. The International Journal of Higher Education & Educational Planning, 50(2), 223–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heng, T. T. (2018). Different Is Not Deficient: Contradicting Stereotypes of Chinese International Students in US Higher Education. Studies in Higher Education, 43(1), 22–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoare, L. (2013). Swimming in the Deep End: Transnational Teaching as Culture Learning? Higher Education Research & Development, 32(4), 561–574.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, J. (2005). An Inter-University, Cross-Disciplinary Analysis of Business Education: Perceptions of Business Faculty in Hong Kong. English for Specific Purposes, 24, 293–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J. P., Lenartowicz, T., & Apud, S. (2006). Cross-Cultural Competence in International Business: Toward a Definition and a Model. Journal of International Business Studies, 37(4), 525–543.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joy, S., & Poonamallee, L. (2013). Cross-Cultural Teaching in Globalized Management Classrooms: Time to Move From Functionalist to Postcolonial Approaches? Academy of Management Learning & Education, 12(3), 396–413.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, T. (2009). Transnational Academic Mobility, Internationalization and Interculturality in Higher Education. Intercultural Education, 20(5), 395–405.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kosmützky, A., & Putty, R. (2016). Transcending Borders and Traversing Boundaries: A Systematic Review of the Literature on Transnational, Offshore, Cross-Border, and Borderless Higher Education. Journal of Studies in International Education, 20(1), 8–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lamers, A. M., & Admiraal, W. F. (2018). Moving out of Their Comfort Zones: Enhancing Teaching Practice in Transnational Education. International Journal for Academic Development, 23(2), 110–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leask, B. (2008). Transnational Education and Intercultural Learning: Reconstructing the Offshore Teaching Team to Enhance Internationalisation. Proceedings at the AARE Conference.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ledwith, S., & Seymour, D. (2001). Home and Away: Preparing Students for Multicultural Management. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 12(8), 1292–1312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leung, M., & Waters, J. (2013). British Degrees Made in Hong Kong: An Enquiry Into the Role of Space and Place in Transnational Education. Asia Pacific Education Review, 14(1), 43–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levatino, A. (2017). Transnational Higher Education and International Student Mobility: Determinants and Linkage: A Panel Data Analysis of Enrolment in Australian Higher Education. Higher Education, 73, 637.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, M., & Campbell, J. (2008). Asian Students’ Perceptions of Group Work and Group Assignments in a New Zealand Tertiary Institution. Intercultural Education, 19(3), 203–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lim, F. C. B., & Shah, M. (2017). An Examination on the Growth and Sustainability of Australian Transnational Education. International Journal of Educational Management, 31(3), 254–264.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lourenço, M. (2018). Global, International and Intercultural Education: Three Contemporary Approaches to Teaching and Learning. On the Horizon, 26(2), 61–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGee Banks, C. A., & Banks, J. A. (1995). Equity Pedagogy: An Essential Component of Multicultural Education. Theory into Practice, 34(93), 152–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Otten, M. (2003). Intercultural Learning and Diversity in Higher Education. Journal of Studies in International Education, 7(1), 12–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pathak, S. (2018). Encouraging Development of a Global Mindset Among Students in Online International Management Courses. Journal of Teaching in International Business, 29(1), 20–48. https://doi.org/10.1080/08975930.2018.1455920.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid, R., & Garson, K. (2017). Rethinking Multicultural Group Work as Intercultural Learning. Journal of Studies in International Education, 21(3), 195–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • RMIT. (2017). RMIT Statistics at a Glance, 2016. RMIT University Annual Report. Available from http://mams.rmit.edu.au/dvcrrbz9qu4e.pdf. Viewed 30 October 2018.

  • RMIT. (2018). Partner with RMIT. RMIT University. Available from https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/our-locations-and-facilities/locations/overseas/international-partners/partner-with-rmit. Viewed 30 October 2018.

  • RMIT Vietnam. (2018). RMIT Vietnam Background. Available from https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/our-locations-and-facilities/locations/overseas/vietnam/rmit-vietnam-background. Viewed 4 November 2018.

  • Saint-Hilaire, L. A. (2014). ‘So, How Do I Teach Them’? Understanding Multicultural Education and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. Reflective Practice, 15(5), 592–602.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silverman, D. (2005). Doing Qualitative Research (2nd ed.). London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, K. (2009). Transnational Teaching Experiences: An Under-Explored Territory for Transformative Professional Development. International Journal for Academic Development, 14(2), 111–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song, X. (2016). Educating Asian International Students: Toward a Transcultural Paradigm. East Asia, 33(1), 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stafford, S., & Taylor, J. (2016). Transnational Education as an Internationalisation Strategy: Meeting the Institutional Management Challenges. Journal of Higher Education Policy & Management, 38(6), 625–636.

    Google Scholar 

  • Summers, M., & Volet, S. (2008). Students’ Attitudes Towards Culturally Mixed Groups on International Campuses: Impact of Participation in Diverse and Non-Diverse Groups. Studies in Higher Education, 33(4), 357–370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sweeney, A., Weaven, S., & Herington, C. (2008). Multicultural Influences on Group Learning: A Qualitative Higher Education Study. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 33(2), 119–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tran, L. T. (2016). Students’ Academic, Intercultural and Personal Development in Globalised Education Mobility. In C. Ng, R. Fox, & M. Nakano (Eds.), Reforming Learning and Teaching in Asia-Pacific Universities, Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects, 33. Singapore: Springer. (Chapter 5).

    Google Scholar 

  • Tran, L. T., & Marginson, S. (Ed.). (2018). Internationalisation in Vietnamese Higher Education, 51, Springer, ProQuest Ebook Central. Available at https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/RMIT/detail.action?docID=5426709. Viewed 4 November 2018.

  • Treleaven, L., Freeman, M., Leask, B., Ramburuth, P., Simpson, L., Sykes, C., et al. (2007). Beyond Workshops: A Conceptual Framework for Embedding Development of Intercultural Competence in Business Education. HERDSA News, 29(3), 9–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNESCO. (2002). UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity: Cultural Diversity Series No. 1, 4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Universities Australia. (2017, March 27). Key Facts & Data. https://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/australias-universities/key-facts-and-data#.W9fbS3v7Spo. Viewed 29 October 2018.

  • Volet, S., & Jones, C. (2012). Cultural Transitions in Higher Education: Individual Adaptation, Transformation and Engagement. In Transitions across Schools and Cultures (pp. 241–284). https://doi.org/10.1108/S0749-7423(2012)0000017012.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilkins, S., & Juusola, K. (2018). The Benefits and Drawbacks of Transnational Higher Education: Myths and Realities. The Australian Universities’ Review, 60(2), 68–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong, J. K. (2004). Are the Learning Styles of Asian International Students Culturally or Contextually Based? International Education Journal, 4(4), 154–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood, C. M. (2003). The Effects of Creating Psychological Ownership Among Students in Group Projects. Journal of Marketing Education, 25(3), 241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Bank. (2011). Vietnam: High Quality Education for All by 2020. Washington, DC: World Bank (License: CC BY 3.0 IGO). Available at https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/27450. Viewed 4 November 2018.

  • Yin, R. K. (2003). Case Study Research: Design and Methods. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, H., & Coombs, S. (2012). Intercultural Teaching and Learning Strategies for Global Citizens: A Chinese EFL Perspective. Teaching in Higher Education, 17(3), 245–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, Y. R., Knoke, D., & Sakamoto, I. (2005). Rethinking Silence in the Classroom: Chinese Students’ Experiences of Sharing Indigenous Knowledge. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 9(3), 287–311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ziguras, C. (2008). The Cultural Politics of Transnational Education: Ideological and Pedagogical Issues for Teaching Staff. In L. Dunn & M. Wallace (Eds.), Teaching in Transnational Higher Education (p. 4454). New York and London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ziguras, C. (2016, November 9–11). The Changing Face of Australian Transnational Education. OBHE Global Forum ‘Brain Gain: Charting the Impact and Future of TNE’, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Management, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia

    Margaret Heffernan

  2. Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Nattavud Pimpa

Authors
  1. Margaret Heffernan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nattavud Pimpa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Margaret Heffernan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil

    Ana Maria de Albuquerque Moreira

  2. Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté and IREDU, Dijon, France

    Jean-Jacques Paul

  3. Faculty of Education, University of Sydney , Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Nigel Bagnall

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Heffernan, M., Pimpa, N. (2019). Globally Transformative Student Experience: Challenges and Opportunities in Learning and Teaching in the Transnational Business Education Program. In: de Albuquerque Moreira, A., Paul, JJ., Bagnall, N. (eds) Intercultural Studies in Higher Education. Intercultural Studies in Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15758-6_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15758-6_9

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-15757-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-15758-6

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation