In Hong Kong, transnational dual degree programs have become increasingly popular through collaborations between local and overseas universities. This study explores the factors influencing students' decisions to enroll in programs that require study at both local and foreign partner institutions.
Using a macro–meso–micro framework, this qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with 22 undergraduate students enrolled in such programs.
At the macro-level, students' motivations were shaped by economic opportunities. Meso-level factors included institutional considerations such as university collaboration, completion time and cost, financial support, and institutional reputation. Micro-level factors stemmed from personal preferences including academic achievement, cultural capital, career prospects, mobility and personal growth, social network and family influence. These levels interacted dynamically, indicating that decision-making involves negotiation between competing priorities rather than simple weighing of benefits.
The qualitative research approach limits generalizability. Future research could adopt quantitative approaches and include a more diverse group of participants to assess long-term academic, career and personal outcomes.
Unlike previous studies focusing on immobile or fully remote programs, this research highlights mobile transnational higher education (TNE) students and provides a more integrated understanding of their cross-border experiences. By applying and extending the macro–meso–micro framework, the study demonstrates how factors at the individual, institutional and societal levels interact dynamically in Hong Kong's dense, selective TNE context, extending the analytical lens of the framework for understanding decision-making. These insights can inform program design, student support and policy development, as well as help prospective students understand peers' decision-making processes.
