Geopolitics and governance: a practitioner research approach to transnational higher education in Hainan’s international education hub

China’s evolving higher education governance reflects a strategic response to globalization, regional integration, and shifting geopolitical conditions. This study examines Hainan Province, designated as a pilot zone for reform under the Hainan Free Trade Port initiative, where transnational higher education (TNHE) serves as a key platform for modernization and global engagement. Focusing on the International Education Hub, a flagship initiative within the Free Trade Port, the research explores how governance is enacted at the intersection of policy frameworks and institutional practice. Guided by Verhoest et al.'s (2004) autonomy framework, this study adopts a qualitative practitioner research approach that combines policy documentary analysis with practitioner reflections. It highlights the interaction between top-down policy directives and bottom-up institutional agency. Drawing on my dual role as practitioner-researcher, the analysis connects policy discourse with the realities of partnership development, showing how governance is interpreted and operationalized in context. Findings indicate that TNHE governance in Hainan follows a hybrid model combining central oversight with selective flexibility. Institutions navigate policy constraints while leveraging regional incentives, producing negotiated forms of autonomy shaped by both regulation and practice. TNHE is also closely aligned with broader geopolitical objectives, linking higher education to talent development, regional integration, and China’s global positioning. This study contributes by conceptualizing TNHE governance as a dynamic, interactive process between state strategy and institutional practice, while offering practical insights for international partners on the importance of alignment and adaptability.