Panel Urges Transnational Education Partnerships Reflect Local Needs
A British Council-led ASEAN-UK Education Week panel in Manila stressed that international university programs should match partner priorities.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Distance Learning
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At the British Council-led ASEAN-UK Education Week in Manila, a panel argued that transnational education partnerships must reflect local priorities rather than transplant existing UK models. The Philippines is preparing to launch a national strategy for transnational higher education.
Why it matters
More than 39,000 Southeast Asian students studied at UK higher education institutions last year, and over 96,000 were involved in UK transnational education programs, signaling the growing weight of cross-border learning in the region. Panelists framed the shift as moving beyond student mobility toward joint degrees and research partnerships.
More than 39,000 Southeast Asian students studied at UK higher education institutions last academic year, and over 96,000 were involved in UK transnational education programs across the region. The source does not state year-over-year comparisons or program outcome measures.
The players
Kostantino Kontis
Kostantino Kontis chairs the UUKi Asia Network and serves as dean for global engagement in China and East Asia at the University of Glasgow.
The details
Speakers said universities should co-design programs that partners identify as valuable, and that even modest seed funding could bring academics together and lay groundwork for longer partnerships. Universities including Reading, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Goldsmiths and Liverpool Hope are already working with local partners on joint programs.
Timeline
Last academic year: more than 39,000 Southeast Asian students studied at UK institutions.
2030: 39% of today's skills are projected to no longer be relevant.
Market Landscape
The panel's emphasis on locally shaped partnerships extends the UK's growing transnational education footprint in Southeast Asia, which already involves more than 96,000 students. It signals a shift from the traditional model of sending students abroad toward joint degrees and co-developed research programs.
Prospective students weighing UK transnational education programs can look at how local partner institutions are structuring joint degrees and co-developed courses. Those considering study options in the region should compare program design and partner arrangements before enrolling.
The takeaway
Education partnerships that are co-designed with local partners are more likely to meet real regional needs than those copied from a single model. Readers following international study options should watch how these programs evolve as national strategies take shape.
Further reading
For related coverage of remote and cross-border study options, see Distance Learning.
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Do you think foreign universities offering programs locally serve students' real needs well?
