The Open Master: A New Model of Transnational Higher Education

Overview & Synopsis

In this article, we conceptualize a new model of transnational education: the "open master." Arising from higher education for emerging fields such as quantum technology and artificial intelligence, the open master addresses the urgent need for advanced digital skills. We consider how, using distance education, specialist courses can cross borders to reach students for whom they would otherwise not be available. Within the pantheon of transnational education modalities, the open master, based on the principles of open, distance, and flexible learning, is not limited by pairwise institutional partnerships, instead relying on local accreditation, the means by which students receive credit for their studies conducted through the open master. Within European universities, these primarily utilise special courses (A) and opening new courses (B and C). Here we reflect on the role of the open master on the path toward the future: creating a truly open ecosystem for specialist higher education.