A realist evaluation of the performance implications of flying faculty model from the perspectives of local faculty: evidence from British TNE programs in Qatar

This research uses the realist evaluation framework to analyse the flying faculty model (FFM) within a British transnational higher education program in Qatar. This work aims to understand the facilitators and barriers of the FFM on local faculty and how it either contributes to or interrupts their work. Following the realist evaluation approach, a total of eight semi-structured interviews were conducted on two groups of local faculty, full-time and part-time local faculty (n = 8) who had taught on the program for at least one semester. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted to identify the key contexts and program mechanisms that led to meaningful outcomes for local faculty. Results show that the FFM provides opportunities for local faculty, including faculty-to-faculty support, knowledge sharing and policy implementation, which may help enhance their confidence in teaching and ensure their career progression as well as promote the successful enactment of partnership agreements. It also highlights certain obstacles, such as lack of engagement among some fly in faculty members and inflexibility in designing a more contextualise curriculum.