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Nguyen Hai Ngan Tran, Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam

Carla Alexandra da Encarnação Filipe Amado, University of Algarve, Algarve, Portugal

Sérgio Pereira dos Santos, University of Algarve, Algarve, Portugal

Transnational Higher Education (TNHE) has become one of the fastest-growing strategies for universities in Asia. Governments encourage it, universities compete for rankings through it, and students demand it as a pathway to global careers. To make it work, host institutions increasingly rely on academic self-initiated expatriates (ASIEs), lecturers and researchers, who move abroad on their own initiative rather than being sent by their home institutions. They bring international perspectives, English proficiency, and global credentials. The appointment of ASIEs is frequently positioned as a win-win: individuals gain international experience while institutions advance their globalisation agenda. However, the reality is more complex. ASIEs often find adaptation demanding, and institutions similarly struggle with effectively supporting and managing this group.

Our research in Vietnam reveals a striking disconnect between what ASIEs expect and what host institutions actually provide. ASIEs are motivated by global career opportunities, prestige, and meaningful academic work. Host institutions, however, are often more focused on filling teaching gaps quickly and cheaply. Expatriates often raise concerns regarding unclear roles, insufficient institutional support, and limited recognition, while managers highlight challenges such as high salary expectations, short-term contractual arrangements, and increased administrative burdens.

This misalignment undermines institutional outcomes, staff well-being, and ultimately the sustainability of TNHE programmes. Lengthy visa delays, sometimes lasting several months, often create significant insecurity for expatriates. At the same time, evaluation systems tend to privilege research productivity, while giving insufficient attention to the cultural and teaching-related challenges expatriates face when working with predominantly non-native English-speaking students. Adding to the difficulty, many institutions provide minimal orientation, mentorship, or structured support, effectively requiring ASIEs to manage demanding transitions on their own.

What can be done? Our study suggests that the solution lies in rethinking human resource practices through the AMO lens, Ability, Motivation, and Opportunity. Host institutions that invest in cultural orientation, inclusive work environments, performance-based incentives, and opportunities for collaboration are far more likely to retain high-performing expatriates. Tailored support also matters: Western ASIEs often seek research freedom and prestige, while non-Western ASIEs tend to struggle more with administrative and cultural hurdles. A one-size-fits-all approach fails both groups.

If TNHE is to thrive in Asia, host institutions must stop treating expatriates as temporary "plug-ins" and instead recognise them as long-term partners in building global knowledge ecosystems. The irony is that ASIEs are brought in to internationalise universities, yet they are often left isolated. Sustainable internationalisation won't come from glossy brochures or joint-degree programmes, it will come from better managing the very people hired to deliver them.

To read the full article, please see the Journal of Global Mobility publication:

Nguyen Hai Ngan Tran, Carla Alexandra da Encarnação Filipe Amado, Sérgio Pereira dos Santos; Academic self-initiated expatriates' management in host transnational higher education institutions: motivations, perceived challenges and work performance. Journal of Global Mobility 16 June 2025; 13 (2): 219–239. https://doi.org/10.1108/JGM-10-2024-0106