Cultural representatives: staff identity at international university branch campuses

International branch campuses (IBCs) are a growing phenomenon in higher education. These overseas outposts of foreign universities transport aspects of the home-campus experienceand the chance to earn a home-campus degreeto satellite locations overseas. There are currently 249 IBCs operating worldwide, with a thriving trend toward parent universities in the U.S., U.K., and Australia opening branch campuses on other continents (Garrett, et al., 2016). These IBCs make a compelling promise to students: the chance to gain an international study abroad experience, while still enjoying the comforts of home. Delivering on this promise is a complex undertaking, requiring leaders to transport not just educational offerings from the home campus, but identity features reflective of its image. The campus facilities, grounds and branded materials are examples of this, as are the IBC staff who interact with its students. Whether sourced from the home campus, host country, or internationally, student-facing staff at overseas campuses must perform the challenging role of representing the home institutionand to some extent, its countryto students. This paper highlights the complexities of performing this representation and suggests principles of identity theory that provide a useful lens for exploring this topic