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Offshore delivery to international students

How to identify new markets and select partners

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Growth patterns of International activity

Aid funded International students Offshore delivery of programs from 1986 Onshore International students from 1987 Offshore campuses

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

1996 S

2

1997 S

1

1997 S

2

1998 S

1

1998 S

2

1999 S

1

1999 S

2

2000 S

1

2000 S

2

2001 S

1

2001 S

2

2002 S

1

2002 S

2

2003 S

1

2003 S

2

2004 S

1

2004 S

2

2005 S

1

2005 S

2

2006 S

1

2006 S

2

2007 S

1

2007 S

2

2008 S

1

2008 S

2

Year Semester

Num

ber

of Enro

lmen

ts

Distance/ Online

Offshore/ CampusTotal Transnational

Graph Source: Debbie Clayton and Christopher Ziguras, Transnational Delivery , (Chapter 9)in Looking Forward, Looking Back: Celebrating 25 Years of International Education in Australia

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Offshore context

Strategy Ours and that of the host country

Collaboration with partners Importance of good relationships

Quality assurance Reputation is key to success Implementation of QA cycle for

program delivery and management – audited by ASQA

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Why offshore?

Opens Australian educational opportunities to a wider range of students

Sometimes a way to reduce time in high cost onshore HE program

Enables growth with others sharing the capital burden Scaleable if highly devolved Risk and benefit is shared

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Basic Principle Programs offered offshore:

should be aligned with a coherent offshore strategy

must be of a standard which maintains and enhances the reputation of Australian education in general. 

must be deliverable at an affordable cost to potential students and to the offshore partner. 

should return a surplus to the provider.

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Sharing delivery of offshore programs

Branch Campus Partner Model Articulation / Contracting

Model Industry based training Aid funded projects

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International Implementation What needs to be considered for this program

to be delivered offshore? Assumes that the program is already

accredited for delivery in Australia… or perhaps a non-award program

Work with a partner organisation for quality assured outcomes – but often with different parameters like

class size, equipment and elective range

Gain approval in country.

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Issues Criteria for Admission to the

Program Arrangements for Entry into

the Program with Advanced Standing, Exemptions and Recognition of Prior Learning

Articulation of Students/Graduates into other Programs

Communicating Competency Based Training

QA requirements including teacher qualifications

Academic Aims and Objectives and Graduate Capabilities

Academic Strategy for Offering this Award in a New Setting

Risk Management Teaching support Staffing Resources Workspaces and Facilities –

including library resources

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Cost items - overview Direct Expenses

Face to Face Teaching, Quality Audit, Training local staff, Travel Student Assessment, Teacher/Stud & Teacher/Group.

Communication Student Materials, Communication Costs, Program Management Maintenance - Course Content, Web Site Department/Faculty Administrative Support & Management

Contributions to Overheads Faculty and Departmental Management, Institute Governance

and Service, Operating (profit!) margin

Capital Costs Course development, provision for program development

Strong policy support from many local governments

Australia’s vocational education system is admired throughout the region.

Emerging economies need more highly skilled workers – so need reliably certified training.

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So can we meet the challenge at an affordable price point and acceptable quality? … and …

Who is “we”?

Identifying emerging regions of opportunity

India & Sri Lanka Malaysia Indonesia Vietnam … etc

• These countries clearly cannot afford the vocational education system that we run.

• So what can they afford – what is the acceptable ‘half-way house’? What will the new model look like?

• We need to build a different reputation to what we have achieved over the last 25 years – based on skills, not pathways to paper.

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Selecting the ‘right’ partners Making the industry connection

It’s usually what’s missing in the existing provision. Making the education & training connection

Embrace the policies identified by government and work with institutions and organisations open to change (if you can find them!)

Don’t forget the history and the basicsPathways remain important, to further education or migration into a higher wage economy.

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Choosing appropriate models of delivery Can you afford an Australian award? What are the alternatives?

Engaging with emerging local accreditation Using local training expertise

Is on-line or workplace delivery and assessment viable?

What are the risks – to reputation and to success?

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Establishing and maintaining successful offshore delivery

Always: see the student / trainee as the first

priority see the paying client – parent or

employer as the key stakeholder be prepared to argue with the

auditor … and have a firm basis for that argument

have an exit strategy!

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Case studies – what went wrong?

A skilled welder program in Vietnam

An office management skills program in Korea

A building & construction program in China

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Your examples?

Your Questions?