Transnational Higher Education and Quality Assurance: A Study of 2+2 Student Learning Experience from Sino-UK Cooperative Universities

This study examines quality assurance mechanisms within Sino-UK collaborative universities, focusing on students in the 2+2 articulation programme. Following China’s economic reforms in the late 1970s, transnational higher education (TNHE) emerged as a key model to meet the surging demand for higher education. Using a qualitative research design grounded in Biggs’ 3P model and the prospective approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 students from Xi’an Jiaotong Liverpool University (XJTLU) and the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC). The findings reveal both successes and challenges in educational quality, shaped by infrastructure, academic support, and teaching consistency. While students expressed satisfaction with physical facilities and resources, concerns were raised about the impact of expanding enrolment and faculty turnover on teaching quality. The study concludes that quality assurance in TNHE should be dynamic and prioritize student perspectives, addressing discrepancies between expectations and educational experiences. Recommendations are made to improve both internal and external quality assurance mechanisms to ensure sustained educational standards in transnational higher education.