Delivering digital equity in transnational education
Insights from our sector-wide study of transnational education (TNE) show how digital access and student voice are central to delivering equitable global learning.
We recently took part in the British Council’s Deep Dialogues in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The event brought together around 100 delegates, including ministry representatives and university leaders from across the MENA region, alongside UK higher education providers and sector agencies.
The focus was clear: the role of transnational education (TNE) in advancing higher education strategies across MENA.
We shared our framework and maturity model for digital transformation in higher education alongside findings from its latest research into the digital experiences of TNE student and staff. Discussions ranged widely from the growth of TNE and delivery models to education hubs, the importance of student voice, graduate employability, widening access and critically, the role of quality assurance and enhancement.
One message stood out. There is strong and growing appetite in the region for new UK TNE partnerships.
The Government’s £40 billion ambition
Co-incidentally, the first day of the Deep Dialogues saw the publication of the Government’s long-awaited new International Education Strategy. Now a well-reported headline, one of three core ambitions of the Government is to grow education exports to £40 billion a year by 2030.
The Strategy states, ‘we will grow the Government’s leadership in transnational education (TNE), working with the sector and the British Council to expand access and impact of high-quality UK education provision overseas’ (p.8). The British Council’s new TNE strategy, launched in the autumn, articulates its own four actions to support growth and diversification:
- Improve data and insight: delivering market intelligence, student-focused research, and interactive dashboards to guide investment and innovation
- Promote UK TNE’s reputation for quality: through global convening, alumni advocacy, and thought leadership
- Inform policy and support growth: enabling regulatory reform, system-level agreements, and new partnerships in collaboration with the UK International Education Champion and government departments
- Showcase TNE’s transformative power: demonstrating its contribution to the sustainable development goals.
A core guiding principle of this strategy is the commitment to placing student voice and lived experience at the heart of TNE - a focus that aligns closely with our ongoing research in this area.
“Jisc’s initiative in ensuring digital equity in transnational education, and QAA’s own newly refreshed UK TNE Quality Scheme, will continue to ensure the sustainability of the UK’s reputation for high‑quality TNE, supporting long‑term growth of TNE as envisioned in the UK’s international education strategy.”
-Shannon Stowers, director of international policy and engagement, QAA
The imperative of the student voice
It is perhaps no surprise then that the British Council, along with UUKi and QAA, has been a committed supporter of our research into the lived, digital experiences of TNE students as well as the staff who teach and support them.
Published in October last year, Global education and technology: insights into transnational student and staff digital experiences is the second Jisc report investigating the digital challenges associated with the effective delivery of TNE.
While the first report articulated four principal digital challenges from a UK institutional perspective, the second draws on lived experience feedback collected in partnership with 19 UK HE providers, hearing from over 5,000 participants in more than 30 countries engaged in TNE. It is the only UK sector-wide research into the lived digital experiences of transnational education (TNE) students and staff.
The four digital challenges identified by institutions and validated by student and staff feedback are:
- Connectivity and access to devices and technology
- Access to digital resources such as online platforms, software, e-books and e-journals
- Cultural differences in how digital is used to support teaching and learning
- The digital skills of students and staff
Participants also highlighted the importance of curriculum localisation and internationalisation, responsible use of Generative AI to support teaching and learning, understanding UK academic norms around assessment and independent learning, and ensuring appropriate digital support.
Achieving digital equity
The research sets out clear recommendations for institutions seeking to deliver an equitable digital experience across global learning environments.
In 2026, we are working with 11 UK HE providers to take their 2025 data and use it to drive strategic improvement. University leaders supporting this current programme have already identified the recommendation to have a formalised digital resource planning and monitoring process as their highest priority.
“It was extremely useful to take part in Jisc’s research. The results and recommendations highlighted the importance of formalised digital planning and access to devices. Understanding the differing experiences in different global regions has helped us to tailor our partnership support.”
-Professor Helen Barefoot, director for education, University of Hertfordshire
At Digifest 2026, we will share forthcoming guidance for senior leaders that centres on the digital considerations for setting up new TNE operations. This will be published and shared with the sector imminently. In addition, there will be a panel featuring the British Council and QAA along with Jisc, focusing on how sector bodies are working collaboratively to support HE institutions in providing an equitable student experience, globally. For more in depth engagement with the TNE student and staff voice, Digifest attendees can also participate in the workshop, ‘"I can't afford Wi-Fi and mobile connection is bad": insights into transnational student and staff digital experiences’.
A leadership imperative
The insights emerging from our TNE research make one thing clear: delivering digital equity is not just an operational challenge but a leadership imperative. Senior leaders have the chance to shape TNE provision that not only meets government ambitions but also honours the lived experiences of every learner, wherever they are.
By strengthening digital foundations, listening to student voice, and building partnerships rooted in quality and inclusion, senior leaders can shape TNE provision that delivers opportunity and impact worldwide. The choices leaders make now will set the global benchmark for what equitable digital experience can be, ensuring that every learner, wherever they study, can access and succeed in a digitally enabled environment.
Next steps
- Explore our work on Researching international students’ digital experience to understand the wider digital challenges and opportunities facing globally mobile learners
- Stay informed of our research on international students' digital experience
- Access frameworks, tools and insight to support confident, sustainable digital transformation
About the author
I contribute to Jisc’s research, thought leadership and consultancy into the digital transformation of learning, teaching and assessment in higher education. In doing this, I work closely with Jisc members and experts from the UK HE sector to gather requirements to inform how Jisc can support the sector in the challenges they are facing in relation to digital transformation. Areas of current focus include research exploring the digital experience of international students studying in the UK and rethinking learning and curriculum design.