Serendipity or strategy? An investigation into entrepreneurial transnational higher education and risk management

PURPOSE – To provide a past, current and future perspective of transnational higher education for academics and managers engaged in this area of education provision, to heighten awareness of thecurrent trends and issues involved.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH – An Australian/Hong Kong case study and reference to current literature are used to highlight the main issues concerning this rapidly expanding phenomenon in the provision of higher education.FINDINGS – Identifies and discusses the main issues for consideration when planning new transnational activities, including the need for strategic approaches and risk management.RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS – The paper focuses on Australia and the Asian region, although material related to the UK and the USA is included in some sections. Whether a country is the provider orthe receiver of transnational education, the issues raised will be relevant.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS – This paper provides a very useful source of information for those currently involved in or planning to become involved in a transnational higher education activity.ORIGINALITY/VALUE – This paper is timely in that it addresses the recent proliferation of transnational higher education activities by considering the past and present, as well as providing discussion ofpotential future directions.