| The purpose of this study was to document the establishment and development of a transnational articulation agreement between Montgomery College, a community college in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States and Macau Millennium College, a four-year institution in China. The relationship stemmed from the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two institutions in 2003. The terms of the memorandum of understanding focus on student and faculty exchanges in numerous fields, including English and hospitality management.; Since 2004, Montgomery College faculty have been deployed to teach in Macau. However, no substantive attempt has been made to document what has occurred to date and to evaluate the efficacy of the relationship from the perspective of the administrators of the transnational alliance and the Montgomery College faculty who have taught in Macau. As a result, this study was designed to provide a comprehensive documentation of the establishment and development of the relationship. Another facet of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the alliance that has evolved between the institutions. The third goal was to study the status of the implementation of phase one of the terms of the memorandum of understanding to determine if mid-term correction is warranted before embarking on phases two and three.; A qualitative research approach was employed with a case study strategy of inquiry. A three-part methodology consisted of one-on-one interviews, one focus group, and archival matter review.; The research has documented the relationship that has evolved. The findings revealed that there are mixed reviews about the effectiveness from the vantage points of the administrators and the faculty who have already taught in Macau. While the administrators consider this to be a rare professional development "opportunity" for the Montgomery College faculty, many of the faculty who have already taught in Macau consider this to be an interesting professional "experience." In the final chapter of the study, recommendations are provided to bolster the current arrangements prior to implementation of phase two.; The study has implications for higher education administrators interested in pursuing transnational alliances. |
