Transnational education (TNE) is a core part of the UK higher-education sector’s international strategy, with China hosting a particularly high number of UK programmes. Collaborative provision—where a UK university partners with a Chinese institution—is the most common model, but it brings well-documented challenges in maintaining quality and supporting staff who must work across two sets of systems, expectations and cultures.
This article summarises a case study by Elisabeth Wilding and Daguo Li on staff development at NUIST–Reading Academy, a joint Sino-British institute established in 2015 between Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST) and the University of Reading. The study shows how a structured programme of continuing professional development (CPD) can help build teaching capacity and drive innovation in TNE contexts—while also revealing the pitfalls to avoid.
Why Staff Development Matters in TNE
Previous research portrays offshore academics as “serving two masters” or “sinking in the sand,” highlighting tensions around dual systems, limited recognition from the sending institution, and the intercultural complexity of the work. Scholars agree that context-specific CPD is essential to maintain quality and support staff wellbeing, yet few studies focus on the needs of local staff at joint institutes.
A Knowledge Management Lens
Wilding and Li frame staff development through Knowledge Management (KM), which distinguishes between explicit knowledge (codified procedures, policies, techniques) and tacit knowledge (unwritten, experiential know-how). Innovation occurs when individuals and organisations move knowledge along this continuum—through socialisation, externalisation, and internalisation—creating a “knowledge spiral” from individuals to groups and institutions.
The NUIST–Reading Staff Development Programme
The joint institute offers dual-award degrees taught largely in English by a mix of local Chinese lecturers, international recruits and visiting “flying faculty.” To align teaching practices with Reading’s standards and to help staff gain Recognised Teacher Status, Reading designed a two-strand CPD programme:
- Generic training for all academic staff on UK-style teaching, assessment, and student engagement, delivered in three-day blocks in China.
- Specialist EAP training for English-language teachers, including one- to two-week sessions in China or residential courses in the UK with class observations.
Focus groups with trainers and participants explored motivation, benefits, challenges and impact.
What Worked
Most participants, although required to attend, were genuinely motivated. They valued exposure to Reading’s pedagogical approaches, discussion of assessment and feedback, and structured time with colleagues as a community of practice. English-language lecturers especially benefited from learning EAP techniques and from observing classes in the UK, which helped transform explicit knowledge into tacit know-how. Teachers reported applying new activities such as jigsaw reading, group presentations and new feedback methods, and some described a shift in teaching philosophy and confidence.
Where It Fell Short
The study also uncovered barriers to effective knowledge creation:
- Perceived one-way design: Some staff felt training was imposed without enough input from local teachers or adaptation to Chinese students’ needs.
- Limited follow-up: After initial sessions, little ongoing support or mentoring was available to embed new practices, particularly the transition from general English to EAP.
- Timing and workload pressures: Weekend scheduling created resentment and reduced engagement.
- Managerial support gaps: Trainers noted the need for stronger local leadership to model and reinforce innovations.
Lessons for Future Practice
Wilding and Li draw several lessons for joint institutes and their partners:
- Co-design CPD with local staff to ensure relevance and ownership.
- Build structured follow-up (on-site or virtual) to support implementation and feedback.
- Be realistic about the pace of change—embedding new pedagogy takes time.
- Foster communities of practice to accelerate the conversion of explicit knowledge into tacit classroom expertise.
- Secure managerial commitment and resources so training translates into innovation.
Conclusion
NUIST–Reading Academy illustrates both the promise and the complexity of staff development in TNE. Well-designed, collaborative CPD can align standards, develop new skills and spark pedagogical innovation across cultures. But without genuine partnership, follow-up and organisational support, even the best training risks being seen as a one-off exercise rather than a driver of lasting change.