The Shifting Geography of International Branch Campuses: Findings from the 2026 C-BERT Update

The 2026 update of the Cross-Border Education Research Team database identifies 386 international branch campuses (IBCs) worldwide, up from 333 in 2023, spanning 40 home and 85 host countries.The data show continuity in terms of some of the major players but also highlight emerging actors.The findings also highlight growing geographic diversification, increased South-South activity, and India's dual role as both sender and receiver, signaling a more complex and evolving global IBC landscape.nternational branch campuses (IBCs) are often framed as instruments of institutional internationalization, motivated by reasons that range from economics to reputation to soft power.While institutional motivations are important, especially in countries with significant higher education autonomy, globally, IBCs are better understood as part of a broader geopolitical and economic landscape, where higher education intersects with national strategy, talent development, and global influence.The location of IBCs therefore deserves attention.Recent data from the Cross-Border Education Research Team (C-BERT) identify 386 operational IBCs worldwide as of April 2026, up from 333 in early 2023.This is a net increase of 53 campuses in just three years, reflecting both new institutions and older ones newly identified.IBCs now originate from 40 home countries (up from 39) and operate across 85 host countries (up from 83).The growth is meaningful and reveals the evolving structure of global higher education.