Sinking in the sand? Academic work in an offshore campus of an Australian university

Abstract

This research examines academic work in an offshore campus of an Australian university. The focus is on the external factors that influence academic practice, mainly in relation to assessment and the way academics perceive their role. The study is set within the wider context of transnational education and the changing nature of academic life and unlike some previous studies, it presents an entirely offshore perspective. The relationship with the home campus and the local educational and political context are found to be the major external influences on academic staff. Leading from the research, some suggestions for increasing the success of offshore campuses are offered. These include establishing strong channels of communication and well‐developed induction and professional development processes.