Think global, teach local

Abstract

This paper presents aspects of good practice in international teaching. The paper incorporates a review of literature on international teaching, quality assurance in collaborative provision, and selected literature from the Human Resource Management field on expatriate workers. Primary data have been drawn from two sources. Qualitative data have been gathered in relation to a one‐semester exercise involving 24 colleagues in a 12‐week teaching period in Israel. Secondly, qualitative data have been gathered from key informant interviews with colleagues with experience of shorter teaching periods overseas. The paper identifies aspects of good practice, and presents issues for further research. Key findings include the need for careful selection of staff, cultural sensitivity in both delivery and content of programmes, and particularly effective working relationships between visiting lecturers and local staff as key to effective classroom performance. Finally, UK higher education institutions, while urged to ‘think global’, should ensure that they ‘teach local’, meeting student needs through cultural sensitivity and appropriate pedagogy.