Growing transnational partnership educational provision via a Learning Development strategy: possibilities and pitfalls

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi32.1404

Keywords:

transnational education, professional development, partnerships, learning development

Abstract

Educational provision within transnational partnerships arrangements has come under increased scrutiny in recent years. This lightning talk focused on the creation of a Professional Development Series (PDS) initiative in the transnational educational partnership work at London Metropolitan University designed to strengthen cooperative, dialogic practice and to embed a strong communities of practice approach (Wenger, 1998) within partnership work. The PDS programme ran in the autumn of 2023 with hourly sessions roughly twice a month. It sought to bring together partnership educators from all backgrounds (including frontline teaching educators, library staff educators and educators in quality and governance) and included education-focused sessions (‘Evaluating the quality of learning and teaching’ and ‘Supporting learners who are struggling with their studies’), research-focused sessions (‘Understanding research ethics’ and ‘Exploring quantitative research’), graduation-focused sessions (‘Embedding employability in HE curricula’), and a session dedicated to partnership work (‘Working successfully in partnerships’). Conroy’s lightning talk outlined the starting points and principles underlying the PDS before discussing how to design and run Learning Development initiatives in transnational education, including points around initial reconnaissance work, pragmatics, tone, and how to foster dialogue and interaction within session spaces. Attention then turned to evaluating what may amplify or diminish the success and impact of such programmes and finally raised discussion points intended to spur debate among conference delegates around the boundaries, parameters, and desirable points of emphasis for Learning Development initiatives in transnational educational provision.

Author Biography

Dom Conroy, The Open University

Dom Conroy is an Associate Lecturer at The Open University. His previous main academic role was Head of Collaborative Partnerships for the School of Social Science and Professions at London Metropolitan University. He has previously worked at the University of East London; Birkbeck, University of London; and The Open University. His research interests include employability, transnational education, podcasts for learning and teaching, and the student experience. Dom has international expertise in qualitative research methods and on research concerning sobriety and non-drinking.

References

British Council (2022) The value of transnational educational partnerships: executive summary. Available at: https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/value_tne_executivesummary.pdf (Accessed: 29 August 2024).

Conroy, D. (2024) ‘Grounded synergy: addressing the challenge to co-construct meaningfully collaborative, quality assured, transnational education (TNE) provision’, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, 32, pp.1-7. Available at: https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi32.1405

Conroy, D. and Vasant, S. (2024) ‘Crossing time zones: developing a transnational professional development series’, Times Higher Education. Available at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/crossing-time-zones-developing-transnational-professional-development-series (Accessed: 10 October 2024).

Jisc (2021) Transnational education (TNE). Available at: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/innovation/projects/transnational-education-tne (Accessed: 10 October 2024).

International Higher Education Commission (2023) The role of transnational education partnerships in building sustainable and resilient higher education. Available at: https://ihecommission.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IHEC_TNE-report_13_12_2023.pdf (Accessed 29 August 2024).

Webster, H. (2024) ‘Raising the profile of Learning Development in higher education: institutional and sector perspectives’, in A. Syska and C. Buckley (eds) How to be a Learning Developer in higher education. Abingdon: Routledge, pp.230-237.

Wenger, E. (1998) Communities of practice: learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.

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Published

31-10-2024

How to Cite

Conroy, D. (2024) “Growing transnational partnership educational provision via a Learning Development strategy: possibilities and pitfalls”, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (32). doi: 10.47408/jldhe.vi32.1404.