7 myths about transnational education

Due to mounting pressures on inbound international student recruitment, transnational education (TNE) has quickly moved to the top of the agenda for many U.K. and Irish universities. Institutions are rapidly expanding branch campuses, international study centres, and collaborative provision—after all, if students aren’t coming to us, why not go to them? Faced with stagnating international student demand, growing visa constraints, and rising financial challenges, university leaders are increasingly asking: Can TNE help fill the gap?

Throughout our research for EAB’s upcoming study, The New Economics of International Student Recruitment, our partners asked us this question repeatedly, with a mix of both hope and scepticism. Some institutional leaders see TNE as the silver bullet for sustaining international revenue; others view it as a necessary hedge against volatile inbound markets. Recent headlines, whether announcing yet another university launching in India or detailing the legal and financial fallout from failed ventures, have only heightened the sense of both opportunity and risk.

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But in reality, TNE is neither a quick fix nor a guaranteed safeguard against declining revenues, recruitment volatility, or broader financial uncertainty. While it plays an important role in a diversified global strategy, it is often misunderstood and misapplied as a quick and easy revenue solution. Before pursuing your next TNE venture, make sure your institution hasn’t fallen prey to these seven common myths—misconceptions that can lead to operational headaches, financial disappointment, and reputational risk down the line.

1. “TNE is a quick win for revenue.”

Most successful TNE initiatives take years to break even and are often subsidised in the early stages. Financially, TNE generates significantly lower tuition fee income and, in most cases, must be shared with partners, further reducing net returns.

One DVC International at an Australian university warned, “You need a huge number of TNE students to reach equivalent revenue from inbound students… You can take a ton of risk and not receive a ton of reward.”

2. “We can just replicate our domestic pedagogical model overseas.”

Local adaptation is essential. Cultural, regulatory, and pedagogical differences mean a simple copy-paste approach rarely works. In particular, an awareness of local labour market gaps and the national skills agenda is needed to ensure that programmes and course curricula are competitive.

3. “We can absorb the additional operational tasks easily.”

There is a danger of underestimating operational complexity, particularly around partnership management, staff management, and legal compliance.

A COO at a U.K. post-92 institution stressed, “You can’t imagine the amount of bandwidth it takes up across the institution—finance, admissions, assessment, etc.”

4. “Any TNE presence equals global reputation.”

Global visibility and reputation are built, not bought. Impact comes through deep partnerships, meaningful engagements, and successful student outcomes, not just a physical or online footprint.

5. “Traditional international recruitment strategies will work in TNE markets.”

Strategies built for student mobility, such as agent-led recruitment or promoting study in the U.K. or Ireland, do not translate easily to TNE contexts. Institutions must navigate different competitive landscapes, often relying on their institutional brand alone rather than their national reputation. Moreover, traditional agent relationships are incentivised towards, and more familiar with, inbound international student recruitment, not TNE placement.

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6. “Quality control will sort itself out.”

Quality assurance must be considered from the outset, with shared standards, ongoing oversight, and internal governance mechanisms. Without this, institutions risk brand damage and student dissatisfaction.

7. “TNE is a long-term investment but will have long-term returns.”

Not all partnerships are designed to last forever. Some governments fund TNE to reduce brain drain or to build national infrastructure and capacity, aiming to avoid long-term reliance on external providers.

For example, some former University of London branch campuses and collaborative partnerships evolved into autonomous universities (e.g., University of Ibadan). Similarly, a 10-year partnership between a prestigious U.S. and Singaporean university ended after changes in government priorities led to withdrawn funding. Institutions must plan exit strategies as part of their TNE strategy.