The PIE News, in partnership with Oxford International Education Group (OIEG) and Studyportals, hosted a briefing where panelists explored university strategies, government collaboration, and financial sustainability for a successful TNE model.
As international universities compete to establish TNE partnerships in India, the University of Southampton stands out, with its Delhi branch campus set to open in August 2025.
Kasia Cakala, director of education pathways development at OIEG, which is collaborating with Southampton on the project, noted how education providers must continuously adapt to evolving expectations of the TNE model.
“Not only do universities have to be mindful of the models they take in this very challenging market, but private providers like us also need to pivot, change, and adapt to support universities in their urgent needs,” stated Cakala at the briefing.
“With Southampton, the key was defining a proposition that was not only sustainable but also aligned with government priorities and the domestic student ecosystem.”
Cakala emphasised that as students from countries like India become more savvy, knowing what they need and expecting more from institutions, universities must adopt a “sophisticated market research strategy” to define their proposition, particularly when presenting expansion plans to government bodies.
Private providers like us need to pivot, change, and adapt to support universities in their urgent needs
Kasia Cakala, OIEG
In light of the changing expectations, Carlie Sage, associate director, partnerships, APAC, Studyportals, underscored the importance of understanding student behaviour and market trends in shaping international education strategies.
“A lot of universities still make decisions without really understanding the environment they’re operating in,” stated Sage.
“There’s amazing data out there that can help institutions navigate shifts, understand demand, identify gaps, and see what’s happening in real time.”
According to Aziz Boussofiane, director, Cormack Consultancy Group, while TNE models need to be financially sustainable, they also need to be beneficial for both the university and the host country in the long run.
“For host countries, success (in TNE) means increasing capacity with quality provision – and for universities, it must align with their mission and strategic objectives,” stated Boussofiane, while addressing the audience.
“There are different drivers and processes depending on the market, whether it’s India or Nigeria, [and] it’s often about increasing in-country capacity and improving the quality of local providers.”
While TNE is widely embraced by leading universities in major study destinations, challenges persist in building scalable models due to varying international perceptions of quality and value, which impact recognition, as previously reported by The PIE.
According to Daniel Cragg, director of Nous, while TNE is just another challenge for institutions, which are already dealing with academic workforce stress, new pressures from AI, and evolving student needs, the appetite for partnerships has only been rising.
“The appetite for collaboration is growing – universities want to share risk, balance success, and be more in-market experts,” said Cragg.
“In international education, it feels like there’s a black swan event every three to four years. But universities constantly adapt, innovate, and thrive.”
While universities in the UK and Australia have pushed through major TNE expansions in recent years, institutions in countries like New Zealand, though interested, prioritise strengthening their reputation and research over physical expansion.
“New Zealand is a small player in TNE, but our partnerships focus on reputation and research rather than bricks-and-mortar expansion overseas,” stated Meredith Smart, international director, Auckland University of Technology.
“There’s a strong connection between our ranking strategy and our partnership strategy – reputation matters.”
As the New Zealand government aims to boost international recruitment from emerging markets while strengthening educational partnerships in countries like India and Vietnam, institutions like AUT see an opportunity, while also learning from the missteps of their peers.
“We are in a strong growth focus. The government wants us to grow. They’re desperate to win the next election, and I think they feel that international education can boost the economy,” stated Smart.
“New Zealanders love international students, but that could change as numbers rise. We must actively demonstrate the value of internationalisation to our economy, industries, and diplomatic relations.”
This point was further reiterated by Cragg, who highlighted how working with governments in policymaking is essential.
“Working with governments to shape future visa policies is essential to ensuring sustainable international student growth,” he said.
“The value of international education extends across different areas of government, not just within universities.”
