QAA CEO speaks at British Council event in Dubai

On Wednesday, QAA Chief Executive Vicki Stott gave the keynote address at a symposium launching the British Council's new report on the sustainability of transnational education (TNE) in Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The British Council report presents a series of "actionable insights" to UK universities and their local counterparts in the development of sustainable partnerships through a focus on fostering "robust, equitable collaborations".

Wednesday's symposium included addresses from Amir Ramzan, the British Council's Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, and Martin Daltry OBE, the British Council's Country Director for the United Arab Emirates, as well as Professor Cedwyn Fernandes, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Middlesex University Dubai, whose campus hosted the event.

The one-day event also featured panel discussions on operationalising the British Council's TNE framework, the experiences of TNE alumnae, and the UAE’s vision for international higher education partnerships and strategic opportunities – and a presentation of the outcomes of research led by Nesma Mostafa, Head of Higher Education Insights and Student Mobility for the British Council in the Middle East and North Africa.

In her keynote address, Vicki welcomed the new British Council report, whose valuable insights and principles, she observed, were shared by the key findings of QAA's own Quality Evaluation and Enhancement of UK TNE (QE-TNE) Scheme.

Vicki argued that successful and sustainable TNE collaborations should be established through balanced partnerships based upon strategic alignments and upon mutual respect, mutual benefits and mutual learning – partnerships designed to ensure the maintenance of standards, to empower the student voice, and to support the parity, quality and continual enhancement of the learner experience.

She also commended a major strategic report published in November by the British Council, in partnership with Education Insight and QAA, which presented 'A global framework for transnational education engagement'.

'This growing body of research into TNE will be enormously valuable in helping us build more sustainable high-quality partnerships – impactful, meaningful partnerships that will promote so many social, cultural, scientific and economic opportunities and transform so very many people’s lives,' she said.

During her visit to the region, Vicki also met representatives of local higher education organisations, including the UAE's Commission for Academic Accreditation and Knowledge and Human Development Authority.