Remote Supervision of Engineering Undergraduates in a Transnational Programme between Scotland and China

Due to the nature and challenges of undergraduate teaching in transnational education (TNE) programmes, there are potential drawbacks that distance supervision may create. Indeed, various telecommunications technologies can facilitate remote supervision. However, nonverbal cues are lost in telecommunications media, which means that information and guidance from supervisors can be misjudged or poorly perceived. This is particularly important in the context of joint degree programmes between a greater number of Western universities and their international counterparts. Among the aims of this study was to understand Chinese student preferences towards remote supervision. Statistical analysis of data collected from 70 final year electronic engineering students clearly demonstrated that 56% of undergraduates preferred a hybrid approach, which reaped the benefits of telecommunications technology with face-to-face meetings. Furthermore, 80% of students were highly satisfied with the communications effectiveness of social media tools for their supervision purposes. Consequently, we believe that these findings can be used as a pilot model for remotely supervising engineering students in TNE programmes. Therefore, our intention is to share best practices and recommendations that have made a positive impact on undergraduate transnational learners.