International

Global perspectives on international higher education, including mobility, partnerships, and cross-border collaboration.

Birkbeck, University of London
United Kingdom, India

Birkbeck to open Bengaluru campus as India expands global higher education access

· By Eleanor Shaw

Birkbeck, University of London is set to establish its first overseas campus in Bengaluru after receiving UGC approval, marking a major step in India’s push to attract global universities. The campus will offer University of London degrees at nearly 60% lower cost than in the UK while maintaining the same academic standards, with additional plans for scholarships and AI-integrated teaching. The move is expected to expand access to international education in India and strengthen India–UK higher education collaboration.

Study Abroad Visa
United Kingdom

UK’s new “visa brake” raises concerns for international student mobility

· By H. Yang

The UK has introduced a “visa brake” restricting Student visa applications from four countries, reflecting growing immigration controls that may affect international student mobility and university recruitment strategies.

Sydney Harbour and Sydney Opera House
Australia

Australia ties international student growth to housing and regional priorities

· By Eleanor Shaw

Australia announces its 2026 international student allocations on 14 October 2025, tying growth to housing, regional development and Southeast Asia engagement, as the government moves towards a more controlled and strategically managed international education system.

China Great Wall
China

China signals new phase in transnational education reform

· By Eleanor Shaw

China has unveiled a significant package of reforms to its transnational education (TNE) framework, aiming to streamline approvals, expand institutional flexibility, and deepen global partnerships. The changes suggest a shift from controlled expansion toward more strategic, quality-driven international collaboration.

CrossRoads Sign
China

Choosing the “in-between” option: why students opt for international branch campuses in China

· By H. Yang

International branch campuses are often analysed as instruments of global higher education strategy. Less attention, however, has been paid to how students themselves arrive at the decision to enrol in them.

Forbidden City
China

China’s careful opening: how regulation is reshaping transnational higher education

· By H. Yang

China’s transnational higher education system has evolved from cautious experimentation to a strategically integrated part of its higher education landscape. While the country is gradually opening its education market—allowing more autonomy, for-profit models and even pilot fully foreign-owned institutions—it continues to enforce a tightly controlled regulatory framework. This reflects a deliberate balance: leveraging global education to support national development, while safeguarding educational sovereignty, political oversight and social values.

Globe on Desk

Internationalisation may offer a way through the crisis in global higher education

· By H. Yang

As COVID-19 halted student mobility, universities turned to internationalisation not as a strategy of expansion, but as a mechanism for survival—revealing both its untapped potential and its structural limits.