In response to global competition and pressures for international visibility, governments worldwide have increasingly promoted transnational dual degree programs as a strategic policy instrument to accelerate higher education internationalization. Taiwan has adopted this approach through a series of top-down mandates linking funding incentives to the expansion of cross-border degree partnerships. However, despite rapid policy diffusion, the effectiveness and sustainability of implementation remain uneven across institutions. Guided by institutional theory, this study examines how universities interpret and respond to institutional pressures and legitimacy demands during the implementation of transnational dual degree initiatives. Using data from interviews with policy makers, institutional leaders, and dual degree students, the study reveals diverse organizational responses shaped by resource capacity, perceived legitimacy, and institutional identity positioning. Findings indicate that while coercive pressures drive initial adoption, ongoing implementation relies more heavily on normative and mimetic mechanisms, particularly under conditions of limited human and operational capacity. Many universities strategically pursue symbolic compliance to secure policy legitimacy without necessarily achieving substantive program quality or student mobility impact. This research highlights the gaps between policy intent and institutional capability, emphasizing the need for capacity-building, cross-institutional collaboration, and evaluation frameworks that prioritize educational value over numerical targets.

Authors:
Ching-Hui Lin, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan
I-Hui Lin, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan
Owen Lo, the University of British Columbia, Canada
Juo-Mei Hsu, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
Ching-Hui Lin, Assistant Professor, Center for Teacher Education, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Research interests fall into institutional research, higher education, student learning outcomes, and quantitative research.

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