Can Northeast Asian countries lead the new waves of TNE?

Over the last 20 years, South Korea, Japan and China have predominantly been importers rather than exporters of transnational education (TNE). Despite variations in their individual trajectories, a common theme among these nations is the influx of Western universities, particularly from the United States and the United Kingdom, establishing campuses within their borders.

According to the Cross-Border Education Research Team (C-BERT), these three countries have collectively imported nearly 60 educational enterprises while exporting only about 15 branch campuses. This starkly contrasts with the big three TNE exporters – the US, UK and Australia – which account for nearly half of the over 330 international branch campuses (IBCs) worldwide while hosting around 20 foreign campuses.

Importing TNE: A historical perspective

Japan was arguably the first nation to be tapped. Since the 1980s, Japan has witnessed numerous American universities attempting to establish branches within its territory. While many of these endeavours were unsuccessful, a handful, such as Temple University Japan, have persisted.

Currently, there are nearly 10 foreign schools in Japan, and Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management is the latest addition to the branch campuses in the country.

This contrasts with China, which hosts the largest number of branch campuses in the world, totalling nearly 50 since the debut of the University of Nottingham Ningbo China in 2004. Leveraging its strategic locations, such as Hainan’s Yangpu Economic Development Zone, China has been able to attract more foreign programmes.

Notably, the Hainan provincial government has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Germany’s Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, and the National Research University Moscow Power Engineering Institute is set to offer aviation and aerospace programmes soon.

South Korea has also been actively explored. Established in 2012, the Incheon Global Campus hosts several prestigious international universities, including SUNY Korea (incubating the imported programmes from Stony Brook University and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York state), George Mason University Korea, Ghent University Global Campus and the University of Utah Asia Campus.

There have been quite a few more attempts at joining this number, such as the University of Aberdeen and Lancaster University, as well as the establishment of initiatives like the Netherlands Maritime University Korea Campus. Unfortunately, they ultimately turned out to be either unfeasible or unsustainable.

Exporting TNE

However, it is becoming increasingly clear that these Northeast Asian countries are transitioning from primarily being importers to becoming exporters of TNE.

The University of Tsukuba’s branch campus in Malaysia stands out as a significant development. Through strategic partnerships and initiatives, the Japanese university has strengthened its presence in Malaysia.

After partnering with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and signing an exchange agreement in February 2013, it established an office at UTM in Kuala Lumpur in December 2013. This collaboration led to the launch of a joint degree programme in the following year. In 2023, a memorandum of cooperation was signed to pave the way for the establishment of the University of Tsukuba Malaysia, or UTMy.

This progress can be compared to Xiamen University’s campus in Malaysia which was among the first overseas Chinese campuses. Additionally, China has established several branch campuses in Japan, including Shanghai University Tokyo Campus and Jinan University Japan Campus. These are exemplary cases of intra-Asia programme mobility.

Strides in South Korea

South Korea is also making strides in exporting TNE with a focus on Central Asia. Since 2006, it has implemented several policy changes to promote the export of educational enterprises. These include expanding government aid, supporting the establishment of branch campuses, amending regulations to allow renting facilities for overseas campuses and promoting web-based internationalisation through curricula and faculty exchanges.

Ambitious initiatives have been in the planning for several years, such as the idea of establishing a Korea University campus in Los Angeles in 2008 and Ewha Womans University’s plans for the US and China in 2016. It was recommended that Seoul National University create a campus in Vietnam in the strategic development plan published by the institution in 2022.

A few of these dreams have materialised. According to the Korean Council for University Education at least six South Korean universities operate overseas campuses as of 2023. Ajou University and Inha University are prime examples.

Inha University in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, offers programmes in computer engineering and information and communication engineering, with 1,674 enrolled students and 676 graduates as of 2021.

Ajou University also established a campus in Tashkent, providing bachelor degree programmes in STEM fields. Additionally, Dongguk University has had a campus in Los Angeles offering acupuncture and herbal medicine programmes since 2009. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has also collaborated with New York University to establish an outpost in New York since 2022.

These initiatives indicate South Korea’s growing confidence in its ability to export its educational model and expertise. The progress it has made has been quite rapid, resulting in a few active Korean campuses overseas that are not captured by C-BERT yet.

Northeast Asia’s rising influence

This shift is part of a larger trend of regionalisation in global higher education, where countries in the Global South, particularly in Asia, are establishing their own international educational footprints.

The evolving dynamics of TNE reflect a broader mobility shift from ‘North to South’ and, increasingly, from ‘South to South’. This can also be interpreted as a move away from Western higher education hegemony towards a more regionalised global higher education landscape. The intra-Asian mobility of students and programmes such as Campus Asia and the ASEAN International Mobility for Students programme help corroborate this argument.

This landscape is synonymous with intensifying competition. Countries are not only striving to attract international students, but are also competing to establish their institutions overseas.

Recent discussions between a prestigious UK university and the Incheon Metropolitan government about an additional TNE campus in South Korea signify that the race is still on. This competitive dynamic drives innovation in educational offerings, quality assurance and institutional branding.

Northeast Asian countries, by exporting TNE, are positioning themselves to compete with established Western education powerhouses, aiming to attract top talent and enhance their global influence. For example, half of South Korean universities’ branches are in Uzbekistan, correlating with the recent fast rise of Uzbekistani students in South Korea.

Substantial potential

The potential for Northeast Asia to lead new waves of TNE is substantial. For instance, China’s national strategy to attract global talent through the Belt and Road Initiative is expected to expand the country’s impact across various nations.

The Japanese government’s encouragement of universities opening overseas campuses is also well-documented.

While not as big as TNE campuses, it is noteworthy that some South Korean universities have established offices for educational exchanges and to broaden global exposure. Duksung Women’s University’s Tashkent Center, which opened in 2023, is just one of these efforts.

However, realising this potential will require strategic planning, international collaboration and a commitment to maintaining high educational standards. For example, unlike Western universities that leverage English – a critical element of cosmopolitan capital – these three countries face language barriers with their overseas branches.

By navigating these opportunities and challenges, Northeast Asian countries can redefine their roles in the global higher education landscape, transitioning from importers to influential exporters of transnational education.

Kyuseok Kim, known professionally as KS, is a doctoral candidate in educational administration and higher education at Korea University, South Korea. He holds a BA in English language education and an MBA from Sungkyunkwan University, and was selected as a Fulbright Scholar in 2012. Since 2010, KS has developed extensive expertise in strategic planning, student recruitment, international relations and partnerships across both public and private sectors. He has held significant roles at UWAY Co, Ltd, M Square Media, SUNY Korea, and Sungkyunkwan University. KS is also an active scholar-practitioner, contributing numerous research papers and opinion pieces to respected international and South Korean publications. LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ks-kim-intled.