Asia offers a compelling opportunity for UK universities

The new White Paper issued by the United Kingdom government last week has sparked another wave of debate on the sustainability of international recruitment at UK universities, including concerns about the Graduate Route being reduced to 18 months and the 6% levy on international students. Undoubtedly, and, hopefully, this will spur fresh thinking and a new strategy for UK universities when it comes to their global engagement efforts.

While global engagement is often interpreted across multiple dimensions, student recruitment and transnational education (TNE) remain the most frequently used measures to gauge the level of internationalisation or success of UK universities – both as external benchmarks and as internal key performance indicators for senior management.

A recent British Council report on East Asia makes a strong case for UK university involvement in the region.

The number of students enrolled in UK TNE programmes in East Asia has risen by 27% compared to pre-pandemic levels. The region remains home to three of the five largest UK TNE markets: China (88,270 students), Malaysia (41,835 students) and Singapore (29,820 students), according to Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data.

The role of international branch campuses

TNE is not a new concept, but it has evolved significantly over the years. It is no longer novel to see a headline containing ‘international branch campus’ (IBC) in the media, compared to the more traditional franchise or validation collaborations of TNE engagement.

Could IBCs become the new blueprint for TNE collaborations? According to the British Council report, the universities of Liverpool (21,625 students), Nottingham (15,270 students) and Lancaster (10,385 students) hold the largest market share in East Asia as a result of their IBCs in China and wider Southeast Asia.

Increasingly, TNE-hosting countries, such as India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Greece and others, are introducing clearer and more welcoming regulatory policies to attract IBCs that strengthen domestic offerings and enhance regional competitiveness.

While Asia’s dominance in UK TNE has decreased over the last decade, it is still the most important region to UK TNE worldwide.

It is also worth noting the continued importance of East Asian students to UK universities’ home campuses. China continues to dominate, but the popularity of the UK among Vietnamese students has increased significantly of late, more than doubling in the last three years. The three countries of China, Singapore and Vietnam provide compelling opportunities for UK universities.

China

China remains central to international student mobility and is the single most important market for UK TNE globally. It accounted for 14% of all TNE enrolments and 14% of global TNE enrolment growth in 2023-24.

While approvals for new TNE collaborations have declined in the past two years, the Chinese Ministry of Education recently announced 113 new TNE approvals, including 44 joint institutes and 69 joint programmes. Eleven of these new partnerships involve UK institutions, with five at the joint institutional level (Swansea, Birkbeck, London South Bank, Glasgow Caledonian and Bradford).

Professor Daguo Li, co-chair of the TNE Specialty Committee of the Association of British Chinese Professors (ABCP), has welcomed this latest round of expansion of UK-China TNE, which involves a diverse range of UK universities at different levels of collaboration (bachelor, masters and PhD), as the TNE Specialty Committee was set up to help promote UK-China TNE more generally.

He adds that the new arrivals on the stage will undoubtedly benefit from the rich experiences and expertise already accumulated in the UK-China TNE sector, whether the joint partnership is a joint education institute or a joint education programme.

Importantly, the landscape is diversifying, with a broader range of international partners now working with Chinese universities, moving beyond the traditional dominance of Anglophone countries.

UK TNE is well regarded by Chinese students and their parents. These partnerships are formally recognised within the gaokao system, which supports both quality and enrolment numbers.

According to HESA, China accounts for 88,270 UK TNE enrolments (2023-24), a fraction compared to the 47 million on-campus students in China, highlighting the potential for growth.

At the launch of the ABCP Specialty Committee on TNE in January 2025, an education official from the Chinese Embassy in London reaffirmed that there is continued demand for TNE, particularly in STEM fields aligned with national priorities and graduate employability.

Of the dozens of international branch campuses in China, only two are from UK universities: Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University and the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, whose student enrolment accounts for over one-third of UK TNE provision in China, in comparison with the other 100 joint institutes or programmes delivered by nearly 100 UK universities. In addition, IBCs have generated far bigger reputational impact in China and even globally than other formats of TNE in China.

By contrast, India recently announced five UK branch campuses (Southampton, Surrey, Queen’s Belfast, Coventry and York), with Newcastle also in discussions. Unlike joint programmes or joint institutes in China, IBCs are legally positioned and operated between public and private universities in China, so they receive government funding support but also operate with a certain level of independence.

Singapore

Singapore continues to stand out due to its high quality of life, tropical climate, world-class safety, robust economy and strong education system. With a population of around six million – over 30% of whom are foreign-born – it is a well-connected, multicultural city-state.

Singapore’s universities, the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, consistently rank among Asia’s top five, and are within the global top 30 in the QS World University Rankings. University enrolments have increased year on year since 1993, with 127,586 students enrolled in 2023. Of these, around 74,000 (58%) were international students, with Chinese students comprising about half.

Singapore accounts for 15% of all UK TNE enrolments in East Asia – a significant share for such a small nation. While the region’s dominance in UK TNE has declined slightly over the last decade, East Asia remains the most important region for UK TNE globally.

In 2023, 92 UK institutions had TNE partnerships in Singapore, enrolling 29,290 students (29% postgraduate). Russell Group universities accounted for 5,430 students, with the University of London leading enrolments (4,325), followed by Coventry, Northumbria, Edinburgh Napier and Goldsmiths.

The last two years have seen further growth of TNE students from China in Singapore, particularly at well-established university brands and Australian branch campuses.

At the Shanghai China International Education Exhibition Tour conference in April 2025, Xia Jianhui, director of the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange, encouraged Chinese students to explore wider study abroad options in Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and TNE provisions to address issues of cost as well as employability.

The deputy dean of Shanghai Lixin University of Accounting and Finance, Professor Wu Yunqiao, commented that the university intends to grow its international engagement in Asia to adapt to the market changes in China for global education. The university intends to establish collaborations in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, alongside the more traditional destinations of the UK and Australia.

Wu further commented that the cultural similarity among Asian countries allows Chinese students to adapt easily to a new learning environment, which subsequently allows them to be fully immersed in the learning environment.

Vietnam

Vietnam has become increasingly important to the UK, both in terms of the number of students studying within the UK and UK university TNE operations. In terms of studying within the UK, there have been between 2,660 and 3,515 Vietnamese student enrolments annually over the last five years, with 2023-24 seeing the highest number.

In 2023-24, 12,530 students enrolled in UK TNE provision within Vietnam, which was an almost 25% increase from the previous year (10,135). Vietnam now represents one of the fastest growing markets for UK universities.

Professor Raymond Lee, co-chair of the UK-Vietnam Higher Education Partnership network, commented that although TNE in Vietnam is growing at speed, there still remains significant potential for impactful TNE provisions in the country.

While TNE in Singapore and China is at an advanced regulatory and policy level, Vietnam has taken a more risk-averse strategy thus far. While the appetite is there from students, forging partnerships at the institutional level may present challenges and require a protracted regulatory process for universities.

Commenting on the country’s approach to TNE, Cecilia Pereira-Yates, director of external relations and TNE at Acumen, part of Sannam S4 Group, an education business focused on Asia, said: “Vietnam is still navigating the complexities of TNE regulation, especially around approvals and delivery models. Cultural differences also play a role because the communication style and pace of decision-making can be very different to what UK or global institutions are used to.

“Unlike India, which has a clear national policy and political drive for international collaboration, Vietnam is moving more cautiously. But student interest is there, and with the right local engagement, the potential is strong.”

In a move that is likely to be well-received by students and their parents, Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training recently issued a circular setting out new regulations pertaining to joint training programme delivery between Vietnamese universities and overseas counterparts at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

It sets new requirements that a minimum of 25% of teaching must be carried out by lecturers from the foreign partner universities in the TNE partnership. This is likely to require some agility from UK universities already in the region, but will potentially lead to a higher quality and more equitable TNE landscape in the country, which will in turn become more appealing to potential students.

While China and Singapore are more advanced in the TNE regulation and approvals process, Vietnam is treading with caution but offers significant potential for early movers in the TNE space within the country. The appetite for UK partners is evidenced via the existing partnerships and student interest in UK study. Once the bureaucratic process is simplified, the country is likely to become more attractive to UK institutions.

Opportunities for UK universities

A major transformation is under way in global higher education. As funding cuts and immigration policy disrupt the traditional powerhouses – the UK, the United States, Australia and Canada – student mobility patterns are changing. In contrast to restrictive immigration policies elsewhere, Singapore recently announced that international students passing at least one national exam may apply for permanent residency.

Although studying abroad remains highly valued in Asia, enhancing domestic provision through TNE is increasingly seen as a strategic priority. Asia’s rise – economically and academically – has shifted the narrative. Improved institutional reputations, higher global rankings and the growing quality of TNE offerings are reshaping the flow of international education.

As pointed out by Wu at Shanghai Lixin University of Accounting and Finance, Chinese students can easily relocate to other Asian countries for their studies. Cultural assimilation is easier, which is an increasingly important issue in a climate where many Anglophone countries are enforcing more restrictive student visa regulations and international student caps.

The desirability of intra-continental study options for Asian students is likely to grow amid the hostile immigration policy environment in many Western countries.

The case for students remaining in Asia is further supported by the reduced costs of travel and tuition when staying in the region, which is an increasingly important concern as many countries around the world teeter on the edge of economic recession.

When the growing presence of QS top 300 universities with TNE operations in Asia is factored in alongside the economic and political attractiveness of staying within the continent, there is an increasingly compelling case for Asian students to study closer to home.

For UK universities, there is a supportive regulatory environment and an openness to form TNE partnerships within the region. One enduring lesson is that TNE success is not about the number of partnerships, but the depth, scalability and quality of those collaborations. International branch campuses, while fewer in number, often provide substantial reputational impact and contribute significantly to regional economies.

The global higher education landscape is changing rapidly. TNE should no longer be treated as a secondary or peripheral concern for UK universities. Instead, it must be recognised as a central pillar of international strategy – one that supports diversification, long-term presence and meaningful academic exchange.

As the sector navigates these uncertain times, UK universities that adapt and deepen their TNE engagement, particularly in Asia, will be better positioned to thrive in a more interconnected, multipolar academic world.

Dr Cheryl Yu, SFHEA, is a practitioner and consultant in international higher education. Through her organisation, Connected International Education, she supports Chinese, British and Singaporean public universities and private organisations in developing and managing strategic international collaborations. She also serves as a committee member of the Speciality Committee on TNE of the Association of British Chinese Professors, and as secretary of the Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding, which was founded by Joseph Needham in 1965. Dr Mark Edwards has worked in various roles at Bristol and the University of Glasgow for over 10 years (with a specific focus on organisational change, business improvement and strategy implementation). He is now a freelance consultant, working both independently and with several higher education consultancies in the UK and the Middle East. His current focus is on TNE partnerships and organisational change (Target Operating Models) for universities, and student work placements. More information at www.internationaled.co.uk

This article is a commentary. Commentary articles are the opinion of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of University World News.