TNE in China: scale and development
Transnational education (TNE) has been an important part of UK-China higher education collaboration for more than 30 years. Chinese-foreign joint programmes and institutes have expanded access to international education, supported institutional partnerships and contributed to the development priorities of Chinese universities and their overseas partners.
Today, China is home to more than 1,700 approved Chinese-foreign joint education programmes and institutes at undergraduate degree level or above, with nearly a million students enrolled and more than 2 million graduates to date.
The UK as a leading TNE partner for China
The UK is a leading TNE partner for China, built on academic quality, trusted institutional links and innovative models that respond to local and global needs.
Over 94,000 students are studying for UK higher education qualifications in mainland China. UK-China TNE includes more than 310 Ministry of Education-approved partnerships at bachelor’s degree level and above, including more than 80 joint institutes and two joint universities: the University of Nottingham Ningbo China and Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.
These partnerships cover fields including engineering, computer science, business and management, creative arts, health sciences, environmental studies and education. They support high-quality teaching and learning, enhance student experience and graduate outcomes, strengthen institutional collaboration and contribute to long-term mutual benefit between the UK and China.
What we do for UK-China TNE
British Council China supports UK-China TNE through insight, convening and partnership development. Our work is informed by the British Council’s global TNE Strategy 2025–27, focusing on quality, strategic growth, student and alumni outcomes, and inclusive access.
Insight and policy engagement
We provide data, market intelligence and policy insight to help partners understand opportunities, regulatory developments and emerging priorities in UK-China TNE.
We work with institutions, sector bodies and authorities to support enabling environments for high-quality, resilient and locally relevant TNE, including knowledge sharing on quality assurance, delivery models and student outcomes.
Capacity building and quality enhancement
We support sustainable TNE growth through professional development, thematic events and practical knowledge exchange on curriculum design, partnership management, student support, graduate outcomes and quality assurance.
Partnerships, students and alumni
We create platforms for UK and Chinese institutions to build strategic, long-term relationships, and support work that brings student voice, student experience and alumni engagement into TNE development.
Through this work, British Council China helps partners build high-quality, sustainable and mutually beneficial collaboration that supports students, institutions and the wider UK-China education relationship.
UK-China Joint Institute Alliance
The UK-China Joint Institute Alliance brings together UK-China joint institutes to share practice, strengthen collaboration and contribute to the future development of high-quality TNE.
Further information on the Alliance will be added as a separate module.