Are universities ready for global disruption in a borderless sector?

This blog was kindly authored by Emma Prodromou, Global Business Expansion and Immigration Manager, Mauve Group.

Almost every facet of modern life has become digitised and, therefore, interconnected. From the phones in our pockets automatically keeping us contactable and tuned in to current events, to increased global mobility and streamlined international collaboration recalibrating the world of work, the limitations that once delineated the marketplace are no longer in place.

A key example can be seen in the modes of operation embraced by the higher education sector. Today, universities are operating more and more as transnational organisations, not just campus-based institutions, with teaching, research, and employment distributed across multiple jurisdictions.

From my experience in global mobility, universities are increasingly operating as borderless organisations, but their compliance and workforce frameworks remain largely tied to a single location.

But as the ramifications of geopolitical instability, energy crises, and infrastructure disruption reach the education sector, just how resilient are these institutions?

Agility in uncertain times

Uncertainty is the defining theme of the global risks outlook in 2026. Respondents featured in the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2026 viewed both the short- and long-term global outlook negatively, with 50% anticipating either a turbulent or stormy outlook over the next two years, deteriorating to 57% of respondents over the next 10 years.

While universities have expanded globally through branch campuses – such as University of Nottingham which operates major campuses in Malaysia and Ningbo, China – and international hiring, their operational resilience has not evolved at the same pace.  As a result, higher education may be more globally exposed than it is structurally prepared for.

Disruption is already reshaping higher education

Across the Middle East, institutions in countries such as the UAE, Qatar and Lebanon suspended in-person teaching and moved programmes online due to regional instability. While universities have since returned to in-person delivery, these changes highlight deeper structural vulnerabilities.

Institutions, including the American University of Beirut, have transitioned to online teaching to maintain continuity. In the UAE, many universities resumed classes online after spring break, with some introducing hybrid learning models and temporary relocation options for students on residential campuses. These responses demonstrate agility but also reveal how dependent many institutions remain on reactive measures.

UK universities have a notable presence in the Middle East, with Dubai alone hosting at least nine major UK campuses. Resultingly, regional tensions are impacting the travel and safety of UK staff and students in these institutions. Meanwhile, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Iraq are key recruitment markets for UK education, and ongoing volatility poses risks, as there is growing scrutiny on the safety of staff and students, as well as the long-term viability of setting up branch campuses in the region.

A new pressure point for global higher education

The Middle East has become one of the world’s most significant regions for transnational education. According to ICEF Monitor, it is now the second-largest global hub for international branch campuses after China. This concentration makes it a critical test case for how universities manage student mobility and operational resilience in the face of geopolitical unrest.

While universities have shown they can pivot delivery models quickly – for example, during the COVID-19 pandemic – these changes are often implemented under pressure rather than undertaken as part of their long-term strategy. The ability to react should not be mistaken for being prepared.

The pandemic offers a useful comparison. During COVID universities globally moved online in a coordinated and largely time-bound way. Today’s disruption is different –  unpredictable and recurring, driven by geopolitical instability and sudden regulatory change.

Universities are now required to adjust delivery repeatedly across borders, often with little notice – demanding structural readiness, not just crisis response.

Transnational education enters a more flexible era

These pressures are likely to accelerate a change in transnational education strategy. Rather than relying primarily on fixed overseas campuses, universities may place greater emphasis on flexible delivery models like transnational education partnerships. Exploring shared delivery with local institutions can also reduce operational, regulatory and security exposure while preserving academic reach.

Branch campuses will remain, but their role is likely to evolve. Future expansion will increasingly require resilience built in from the outset, including global workforce planning, security considerations and specialist mobility expertise. This expertise is needed to plan for situations like temporary relocation, which could trigger payroll, benefits, tax and immigration complexities as a result of cross-border or remote education delivery.

From reactive solutions to formalised frameworks

What has historically been handled on an ad hoc basis is becoming more structured. Rapid moves to online learning during COVID-19; recent Middle East disruptions moving learning online; and immigration regulation updates in the UK impacting students and faculty, show that teaching can move across borders, but sustainable delivery requires clear frameworks.

Universities are under growing pressure to formalise policies covering cross-border teaching by academic staff, student continuity during displacement, remote research supervision and compliance for globally distributed workforces.

While teaching can move online quickly, workforce mobility cannot. Each disruption introduces a new mix of immigration rules, tax exposure, employment law and duty-of-care obligations. Systems built for a campus-based world struggle to keep pace.

Universities are increasingly exposed to the same pressures as multinational companies. Academic workforces are globally distributed but governed by local regulation, making institutions vulnerable as geopolitical tension accelerates regulatory change.

Are universities ready for what comes next?

Universities have proven they can respond quickly to disruption. The challenge now is whether they are structurally prepared for a future where disruption is ongoing rather than localised to a particular time. Borderless education demands resilient governance, rigorous compliance and meticulously structured operating models, providing frameworks strong enough to hold firm in the midst of today’s consistently volatile global environment.