ID132 Establishing a Global Pedagogy and TNE Knowledge Centre

The Idea

To establish a Global Pedagogy and Transnational Education (TNE) Knowledge Centre that would help to create, curate and mobilise institutional knowledge about global education. development of shared pedagogic approaches across Keele’s international partnership programmes, while building longer-term institutional expertise and sector leadership in global higher education practice. 

As the university expands its TNE portfolio across different countries, there are increasing challenges in designing educational programmes that operate effectively across different academic cultures, regulatory environments, and learning traditions. For TNE partners, the proposed Centre would encompass existing TNE development functions, acting as a specialist co-ordinating and advisory hub to support the co-development of shared pedagogic approaches that draw on the strengths of both partners while maintaining Keele’s academic standards and values. 

The Centre would develop a new function, which would be an innovation hub for global pedagogic expertise, research, curriculum innovation and professional development. This would lead to the research and design of TNE teaching, learning and assessment approaches that are educationally robust, culturally responsive and appropriate for transnational contexts.  

This would establish a distinctive institutional offering, positioning Keele as a leader in innovative and ethical TNE provision and strengthening our attractiveness as a partner institution by demonstrating a commitment to high-quality, collaborative programme design with TNE partners, rather than simple programme export. 

Why This Idea Should Be Considered

TNE is an increasingly important component of Keele’s international strategy, offering opportunities to expand educational reach, diversify income, and develop deeper international partnerships that support wider strategic opportunities, including global research collaboration etc. 

However, this presents challenges in ensuring programme alignment between different educational systems, pedagogic traditions, and student expectations. For example, differences in assessment expectations, feedback cultures, classroom participation norms, and regulatory requirements can lead to inconsistencies in student learning experiences across locations.  

For TNE development, the Centre would provide a central resource to lead a more systematic and research-informed approach, which would strengthen both the quality and sustainability of new and existing TNE partnerships at Keele. 

The Centre would also provide a mechanism for capturing, synthesising and sharing learning from Keele's international experts, transforming experience gained through research and partnership development into institutional knowledge that informs future curriculum development, educational practice, research and partnership innovation. 

The Centre would initially exist to strengthen the quality and sustainability of Keele's own international partnerships, but as institutional capability develops, it would become a recognised centre for research, professional learning and sector leadership in global pedagogy.  

How We Would Implement This Idea

The Centre could initially be established through a small specialist team with expertise in areas such as curriculum design, global pedagogy and transnational education, operating as a coordinating and advisory hub rather than a standalone delivery unit. This team would then work in partnership with colleagues who already hold international partnership and educational development responsibilities, such as Link Tutors, School International Directors, and Deans of Internationalisation and Partnership, and other specialists in professional services. The Centre would then connect existing expertise, coordinate institutional activity and develop shared approaches to global pedagogy to capture and centralise activity across Keele. 

Unlike existing operational partnership support, the Centre would focus specifically on the pedagogical dimensions of TNE, bringing together expertise in curriculum design, teaching, learning and assessment, and intercultural education to support educational practices that are effective across different international contexts. 

This could initially operate as a pilot focused on existing partnerships before expanding to support all current and future TNE provision and strategic international collaborations. 

The Centre would focus on four core functions: 

1. Partnership pedagogy development: Supporting the co-design of teaching, learning and assessment approaches that are informed by educational research, responsive to local contexts, and developed collaboratively with international partners. This would be for new and existing TNE programmes, including the development of shared teaching methods, assessment practices, and approaches to student support. 
2. Staff development and partnership collaboration: Providing guidance, workshops, and resources to support academic staff working in international partnerships, including opportunities for collaborative curriculum design with partner institutions. 
3. Institutional co-ordination and knowledge exchange: Bringing together expertise from across Keele to capture learning, develop shared resources, co-ordinate good practice and ensure knowledge gained through international partnerships informs future curriculum development and institutional strategy. 
4. Research and knowledge generation: Developing research and evidence on effective pedagogy in TNE and internationalised curricula, while contributing to wider sector discussions and helping establish Keele as a recognised Centre of expertise in global pedagogy and international higher education practice. The Centre could also support the development of externally funded research projects on global pedagogy, international student experience, and partnership-based curriculum innovation. 

Over time, the Centre could also support the development of accredited professional learning opportunities and collaborative postgraduate provision related to global pedagogy, international higher education, and TNE leadership. 

The intention is not to duplicate the important work of KIITE, the Language Centre or existing colleagues with an international role. Rather, the Centre would act as a co-ordinating hub that brings together expertise and captures the important insights from colleagues in a centralised approach. 

What Success Would Look Like

Success would be demonstrated by: 

• Increased confidence of academic staff involved in TNE in designing, delivering and adapting teaching, learning and assessment for different international contexts through access to specialist expertise and professional development. 
• Positive feedback from students within partnership programmes regarding programme experience. 
• Stronger academic collaboration and engagement between university staff and international partners, including joint curriculum development and teaching initiatives. 
• Development of institutional expertise and scholarship in TNE and international pedagogy e.g. publications, conference contributions, and funded projects. 
• Recognition of Keele as a sector leader in innovative and responsible TNE provision. 
• Development of accredited professional learning opportunities, establishing Keele as a destination for professional development in global pedagogy and TNE.