jlane99@uillinois.edu

Jason Lane is a globally recognized scholar and higher education leader whose work has shaped the field of international and transnational higher education for more than two decades. As co-founder and co-director of the Cross-Border Education Research Team (C-BERT), he has pioneered research on the globalization of higher education, particularly international branch campuses, cross-border partnerships, and the governance of transnational education. The C-BERT team created the first publicly accessible global database of international branch campuses, now widely used by researchers, policymakers, and institutional leaders around the world.

A Fulbright New Century Scholar, Dr. Lane has conducted research and advised governments, universities, and international organizations in more than 30 countries, including projects with the OECD and UNESCO. He also serves on the International Advisory Board for Sweden’s STINT Foundation, supporting the international engagement of Swedish universities. His comparative analyses and policy work have illuminated how internationalization strategies intersect with national development, trade policy, and soft power diplomacy.

Dr. Lane’s extensive publication record includes more than 100 scholarly and policy works and over a dozen books, among them are Multinational Colleges and Universities: Leading, Governing, and Managing International Branch Campuses and Academic Leadership and Governance in Higher Education. His recent articles examine the evolving role of international branch campuses in global science diplomacy, risk mitigation in cross-border governance, and the relationship between diversity, equity, and inclusion in transnational education. Their work co-leading C-BERT earned him and Kevin Kinser the ASHE Award for Outstanding Contributions to International Higher Education Research. Currently, he serves as Special Advisor to the President of the University of Illinois System, where he leads global engagement and strategic initiatives such as the Sustainability Research and Innovation (SRI) Congress 2025. He also serves as Professor of Higher Education and International Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Board Chair of the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), and Executive Director of the AGB Institute for Leadership & Governance.

Dr. Lane’s research and commentary have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Inside HigherEd, Times Higher Education, and University World News. His work continues to inform how higher education systems navigate globalization, balancing institutional ambition with shared responsibility for inclusive and sustainable impact across borders.