Generative AI as a Catalyst for Transforming Transnational Engineering Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Directions

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) is emerging as a transformative force that empowers transnational education (TNE) in engineering. Recent trends indicate a significant shift in the application of generative AI in engineering policies, academic research, business practices, and educational settings throughout TNE. Governments and organizations are transitioning from restrictive stances to developing guiding frameworks for its application, enabling cross-border collaboration in TNE. Numerous universities have permitted and even promoted the utilization of GAI. Furthermore, academic research around the world is looking into the pros and cons of GAI in engineering education, focusing on how it can help teachers and keep students interested. Industrial applications are diversifying, extending across disciplines, and TNE is occurring in engineering contexts, including cross-border programs. GAI possesses the capacity to transform TNE by revolutionizing talent development, reformulating engineering models, and facilitating scientific assessment across multinational frameworks. However, problems like the generative illusion, ethical and ideological risks, lack of trust between teachers and students, and new threats to TNE in engineering equity in global settings require substantial focus. This study examines these concerns and outlines potential strategies to leverage GAI for transnational education in engineering, offering stakeholders the opportunity to prioritize AI literacy among educators and learners. This work emphasizes that cross-disciplinary and collaborative R&D, following national and international standards, should tackle application hurdles while guaranteeing safety and inclusion. This study also addresses several future directions that can contribute to creating a unified framework and cost-effective solutions. These solutions, integrated with platforms like the National Smart Education Platform, can bridge digital divides, ensuring equitable access and enabling global TNE stakeholders to capitalize on the GAI revolution. We also provide several statistics and case studies to show the effectiveness of GAI over TNE in engineering and provide practical solutions for the incorporation of GAI into TNE within engineering frameworks, guaranteeing inclusivity and equity.