There are a considerable number of challenges present in creating new and innovative projects. Failure is a distinct possibility and at the very least, a significant amount of time and effort will be put into the development and implemenation of the idea. The success of any such project rests upon a fundamental understanding of the elements involved, an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses and the ability to adapt and re-brand if necessary. The desire to provide and secure a globally driven and internationally motivated education has driven The University of Nottingham to develop and promote the connection between two of its three international campuses, UK and Malaysia, with aims to include the China campus in the near future.

Student movement already exists and has been well documented and developed by institutions around the world. The University of Nottingham is not alone in this but enjoys student exchange between the UK, China and Malaysia. Despite the success of this initiative for both students and staff alike; there existed a very real need for increased development and cooperation at the level of postgraduate study. Demand for an international education is on the increase and so the split sight PhD programme was introduced between the UK and Malaysia. This programme allows students to receive a UK education in an international setting, provides opportunity for research collaboration, student movement and promotes integration and educational policy development. The University of Nottingham is currently partnered with 9 Malaysian Universities and has enjoyed success in the exchange of ideas and research as a result.

With three campuses spread around the world – UK, Malaysia and China – The University of Nottingham has a unique experience in terms of development. The Nottingham campus consists of a mix of predominantly domestic with a substantially increasing percentage of international students, the China campus has predominately domestic students with some international and the Malaysian campus has an almost equal mix of both domestic and an increasing number of international students from South East Asia, Indo China and Africa. As a result, the University of Nottingham educational system is a diverse and varied one, necessarily catering for a melting pot of cultural and educational backgrounds. Implementation of a single model is important in terms of branding and recruitment – ‘a UK education, irrespective of where a student receives their degree’ – but the ability to adapt and promote a fair and balanced approach is integral to our reputation and a contributing factor to our standing in international ranking.

In order to bridge the gaps that exist in educational development and implementation, The University of Nottingham incorporates initiatives such as research training, organised and run by The Graduate School, to address these issues. The need for additional support in line with traditional academic degrees is apparent, and inability to provide this can often lead to reduced capacity for learning and information processing. Despite the many pitfalls that exist in any endeavour of this nature, success has been achieved through a combination of collaboration, cooperation and innovation. International education, delivered by international educators on an international stage.