Reflections on the value of insider research as a qualitative research methodology

This case study reflects on the lessons learned during a 15-month "insider research" project on the management of international branch campuses. The research project was a qualitative investigation into the "lived experience" of senior managers running international branch campuses of UK universities. The UK universities presently operating international branch campuses are all public universities with a history of being state-funded and politically regulated. The international branch campuses are, in contrast, private for-profit subsidiaries of the UK university, often jointly owned by local partners, which function within an alien cultural, legislative, and political environment-for example, the United Arab Emirates, China, and Malaysia are the most important host countries for branch campuses. While the challenges of managing such campuses are clearly manifold, insider research offers a unique insight into the way these challenges are seen through the eyes of the senior managers involved. This case study explores the strengths and weaknesses of insider research as a qualitative methodology and highlights some of the practical lessons learned during the course of the project.