Session 1 – TNE and researching the student experience
‘What do TNE students think are the benefits of studying for a UK degree with a TNE partner?’
Chris Slade, Director of Partnerships, Staffordshire University
Chris Slade has over 10 years’ experience of working in international higher education at a senior level. She has strategic and operational oversight of Staffordshire University’s TNE provision, where over 17,000 students study at 19 partners in 14 countries. She also has responsibility for the Staffordshire University UK partnership provision, where over 3,000 students study for HE awards at FE and private partners. Her first career was in sales, commercial finance, and management in the private sector, after which she moved into the HE sector to teach Psychology and Education, where her focus was on developing pedagogy to enhance student engagement. She has recently conducted research into the perceived value of TNE from the student perspective and is a senior Fellow of the HEA.
'Intercultural competence development in Transnational Education’
Albina Szeles, Intercultural Engagement Manager, Coventry University
Since arriving at the Coventry University, Albina has played the key role in the management of Internationalisation Agenda including the development of new collaborative partnerships, student and staff mobility, visiting scholars programme, summer schools and other commercial international programmes. While still a manager in the Coventry University she has been offered several teaching roles at the Faculty of Business, Environment and Society. Currently, her responsibilities are developing experiential University-wide intercultural training programmes and delivering other innovative cultural education projects. Prior to starting her career in higher education Albina obtained bachelor and several master degrees from top Universities based in the Italy, France, Russia and the UK. As a ‘global graduate’ and Higher Education practitioner Albina’s main area of interest and activity is internationalisation of higher education, in particular, intercultural education, student engagement, and enhancement of transnational education.
‘Student feedback for governance and risk management’
William Archer, Chief Executive, i-graduate
i-graduate founder Will Archer directs the world’s largest studies of student and graduate opinion, with the goal of improving the education experience for students and educators worldwide. His team benchmarks perceptions and outcomes using proprietary survey instruments implemented by governments and 1,300 education providers in 5 continents. The flagship Student Barometer has feedback from 2.5 million students. In 2012 i-graduate was acquired by education software and services group Tribal. Will is a council member of OBHE and NCUB, a governor of BSU, a trustee of HECSU, a member of Chatham House and a fellow of the RSA. He also serves on the executive board of Tribal Group PLC.