Catalina Global: Connecting Institutions to Global Opportunities

Catalina Global, a specialist in global higher-education partnerships, has observed that while many mid-sized and regionally focused institutions aspire to establish campuses or programs overseas, they often face capacity constraints in designing and managing such ventures. To help address these challenges, Catalina Global develops structured pathways that enable colleges and universities to expand their international reach while maintaining academic standards and institutional identity.

The company fulfills this mission by offering a comprehensive suite of services spanning program design, feasibility studies, recruitment, marketing, delivery, and quality assurance. Catalina Global crafts bespoke pathway programs, builds student cohorts in source countries, and provides strategic guidance on micro-campus and transnational education (TNE) partnerships. Additionally, it develops tailored global marketing strategies for each target territory. “Our approach is practical,” says Daniel Palm, founder and Managing Director. “Programs are informed by local demand, supported by committed partners, and designed with financial sustainability in mind.”

These services underpin a variety of flexible program models that institutions can adopt based on their goals and resources. For example, Catalina Global facilitates dual-award arrangements, allowing learners to earn degrees from two institutions simultaneously. It also designs pathway models that enable students to begin their studies in their home country before transferring to an overseas campus, an approach that may help reduce barriers to international education.

Expanding on these options, Catalina Global also advises on the implementation of global campuses, where accredited curricula are delivered abroad in focused, campus environments. Collectively, these models offer institutions a diverse toolkit to broaden access, attract a more varied student population, and uphold the academic integrity of their degrees while expanding globally.

Catalina Global’s service model is shaped by its ongoing realities of the evolving landscape of international education. As institutions respond to shifting dynamics, such as changing student expectations, adjustments in academic programming, and the search for new revenue streams, Catalina Global has noted a growing interest in global expansion as a strategic pathway.

“We’ve seen more students who want access to internationally recognized degrees but prefer to start their studies closer to home,” says Palm. “At the same time, many institutions are looking for practical, scalable ways to engage globally.” These patterns have informed Catalina’s emphasis on cohort-based recruitment, in-country academic delivery, and phased mobility pathways, approaches designed to offer students a more accessible and coherent route to global education while supporting institutional goals.

Guiding this process is Catalina Global’s “three Ms” framework: the presence of a motivated local partner who will champion the program, the existence of a market need for the educational offering, and a monetary model that promotes financial sustainability. Programs that meet these criteria are developed further, and others are refined to better align with these principles.

Catalina Global’s methodical, data-informed approach is grounded in its formative experiences across diverse academic systems and regional education landscapes. These early engagements shaped a philosophy centered on thoughtful expansion and meaningful design. “The goal is to build programs that reflect local ambition, honor academic integrity, and create lasting value for the communities they serve,” says Palm. His leadership combines deep sector expertise with a deliberate, operational mindset, guiding institutions through the regulatory, administrative, and cultural dimensions of international education.

“Programs that are more likely to endure are those where the community, the institution, and the learners all find meaningful value,” Palm says. Through this lens, Catalina Global provides a thoughtful route for institutions seeking to extend their educational mission globally while maintaining a strong commitment to quality and sustainability.