Benefits and costs of transnational collaborative partnerships in higher education

Governments have been looking for ways to reduce the costs and maximise the benefits of higher education. Fostering cooperation between higher education institutions is one of the strategic options chosen by European countries in order to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of their higher education systems. This report draws on a systematic review of empirical evidence to summarise what is known and what is not known about the economic and non-economic benefits and costs associated with transnational cooperation in higher education. The analytical framework used to review empirical evidence on the benefits and costs of transnational collaborative partnerships reflects the understanding that: 1) benefits and costs occur at different levels: macro (regional/national), meso (institutional) and micro (individual); and 2) benefits and costs can be: economic or non-economic (academic, socio-cultural and political)