The strategic implications of different forms of international collaboration in Higher Education

Higher Education Institutions are engaging in a widening range of international collaborations which are accepted to be an integral element of higher education. Schemes may involve individual institutions, consortia of institutions, national agencies, and international bodies. Such collaborations bring together students and administrators from different cultures of learning, with different expectations and definitions of their new situation; hence there are potential risks which accompany the intended benefits. There exist, however, a large number of previous and current collaborations which can provide institutions considering beginning a collaboration with object lessons: examples of best practice in similar schemes, and warnings of pitfalls to avoid. This project carried out an extensive review of existing practices and compiled seven thematic chapters and 14 case studies presenting the dilemmas and decisions of different forms of collaboration. These chapters and case studies have enabled the creation of an interactive online tool. This tool allows institutions to enter details of an intended collaboration and so generate a customised analysis based on previous experiences within the sector, and therefore better informs the design of new schemes and so reduces risks and maximises benefits for all stakeholders concerned. This NECTAR record contains the seven thematic chapters; the case studies are available from http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/3706