Scoping review links international health education partnerships to varied outcomes

An international scoping review of 17 studies reports that transnational health professions education programmes were associated with improved graduate preparedness, professional identity development and contributions to workforce capacity. The studies, published between 2015 and 2025, also indicate that the outcomes and sustainability of these partnerships depend on context-sensitive curriculum adaptation, structured institutional support, collaborative governance and effective quality assurance. The findings map reported experiences and outcomes rather than establish a uniform causal effect or a definitive measure of programme effectiveness.

The review examined international partnerships in health professions education, identified in the study as a form of transnational education. Its aims were to map existing literature on stakeholder experiences and outcomes, identify factors influencing implementation and sustainability, and assess the available evidence. Following the Arksey and O’Malley framework and reporting under the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, the researchers initially identified 823 records. Two reviewers independently screened studies for eligibility, while the primary reviewer extracted and charted the data for review by the research team. Methodological quality was appraised with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The final evidence base included 13 qualitative studies, three mixed-methods studies and one quantitative study.

Across the included literature, graduates of transnational programmes were reported to be more prepared for work in health systems, to undergo changes in their professional identity, and to contribute to workforce capacity. These are associations drawn from the reviewed studies, not findings from a single comparative trial or a pooled estimate of effect. The predominance of qualitative designs means that much of the evidence consists of accounts and interpretations reported in the original research. With only 17 studies included, the synthesis is best understood as a map of the research literature and the themes that emerge across it, rather than a precise estimate of how much any partnership improves outcomes in all settings.

The analysis identified four interrelated themes. The first addressed the contextualisation and sustainability of partnerships, including the importance of responding to institutional and sociocultural contexts. The second concerned support for graduates’ transition to practice and their career outcomes. The third focused on professional identity transformation and developmental outcomes. The fourth covered quality assurance and power dynamics within international collaborations. Across these themes, the reviewed research suggests that international education is shaped not only by whether a partnership is established but also by the conditions surrounding curriculum design, institutional support, governance and implementation.

The authors conclude that international partnerships in health professions education can enhance access to education and contribute to developing a globally competent health workforce. They also identify a central design tension between standardisation and local responsiveness. The review’s findings support curriculum adaptation that remains sensitive to local conditions, while also requiring collaborative governance and quality-assurance mechanisms. The evidence does not identify a single approach that is optimal in every context, nor does it establish the long-term effects of transnational education on patient care. The authors therefore call for further research on sustained workforce outcomes and patient-care effects, as well as on staff-development and international-collaboration models designed to be sustainable. Overall, the review portrays transnational health education as a pathway that can support graduate readiness, professional development and workforce capacity, while making clear that the strength and durability of those contributions depend on how partnerships are adapted, supported and governed.

Subject of Research: Stakeholder experiences and outcomes in international health professions education partnerships

Article Title: International partnerships in health professions education: a scoping review of stakeholder experiences and outcomes

Article References: Yousif, G., Conen, S., Hart, J., & Byrne-Davis, L. (2026). International partnerships in health professions education: a scoping review of stakeholder experiences and outcomes. BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-026-10258-y

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12909-026-10258-y

Keywords: health professions education, transnational education, international partnerships, scoping review, graduate preparedness, professional identity, workforce capacity, curriculum adaptation, quality assurance, collaborative governance, International, partnerships