The University wins funding to explore TNE collaboration with two Thai universities
Friday, 18 March 2016
Following a highly competitive process, the University has won two British Council Thai-UK Partnership Grants to explore transnational education (TNE) opportunities in Thailand. The successful bids, coordinated by Professor Ros Richards, Head of the University’s International Study and Language Institute are led by Dr Simon Clarke in Biological Sciences to work with King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, and by Professor Keshavan Niranjan in Food Science and Technology with Chiang Mai University.
Vincenzo Raimo, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement, said “the University’s successes in this competition are a testament to the hard work of the colleagues involved who developed the proposals at very short notice. The successful bids are based on strong and long lasting relationships with Thai partners in which Reading alumni are based.” Vincenzo added “True Global Engagement cannot be developed overnight. It requires long lasting relationships built on trust and mutual interest. The best partnerships, as in these cases, often involve former PhD students who have returned to their home countries.”
The UK is recognised as a world-leading provider of transnational education (TNE), and the University’s vision for global engagement recognises that by the end of this decade, almost a quarter of our students will be studying somewhere off-shore.
In January this year, the British Council and Thailand’s Office of the Higher Education Commission collaborated to bring eight Thai research-intensive universities to London to explore TNE links with UK counterparts. Professors Ros Richard, Roger Gibbard, Associate Professor Andy Seymour and Vincenzo Raimo participated in a two day workshop in London, and then hosted the delegation at Whiteknights, as the only university chosen for a group visit.
The many strengths offered by Reading were very effectively demonstrated by inspiring presentations and energetic networking from staff in Agriculture, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Food and Nutritional Sciences, Psychology, Clinical Language Sciences, the Built Environment, Economics, ICMA and ISLI. Our visitors acknowledged the value of this rich opportunity to explore potential for teaching collaborations, which typically lead to an exchange of skills and knowledge, as well as mobility opportunities for students (as facilitated by 3+1 programmes, for example).
The delegation were animated with an alternative example of global engagement - Reading Football Club’s connection with Thailand, and heard from CEO Mr Nigel Howe and Director Mr Jack Srisumrid who addressed the group during their visit. Mr Howe praised the Thai consortium which took over Reading FC in September 2014, for bringing ‘stability and good prospects’ for the development of the club, and our visitors were much enthused by this collaboration.
Following the return of the delegation to Thailand, the local British Council office announced funding to provide support for developing new TNE links through joint proposals. The grants will enable more thorough investigation of the potential for joint collaboration and provision in these areas. Head of ISLI, Professor Ros Richards, whose staff co-ordinated the visit to Whiteknights, said “This is an excellent outcome and demonstrates the University’s significant potential for further global reach and presence, with the added potential such partnerships offer for growing revenue through student transfers to our campuses.”
A wide variety of such programmes and platforms for delivering education across borders have developed to meet the growing demand for higher education across the world. Developing further TNE opportunities at Reading must be a strategic focus for implementing the University’s vision for 2026.