<![CDATA[In the era of regional integration, transnational higher education partnerships are pivotal to elevating educational standards. Grounded in transnational education theory, this study evaluates a bilateral partnership between Indonesian and Malaysian universities designed to enhance teacher pedagogical and guidance counseling competencies. Utilizing a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, quantitative data were gathered from 240 secondary educators across three longitudinal time points, analyzed via paired-sample t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVA. Qualitative insights were elicited from 18 key informants to contextualize quantitative trends. Baseline-to-follow-up analyses demonstrated statistically significant, sustained gains in pedagogical competencies (M_pre=2.41 vs. M_(follow"-" up)=3.82; t(239)=14.83, p<.001, d=0.96) and counseling competencies (M_pre=2.25 vs. M_(follow"-" up)=3.64; t(239)=12.47, p<.001, d=0.81). Qualitatively, shared socio-cultural alignment (Serumpun ethos) catalyzed cross-institutional adaptability, whereas administrative incongruence—mismatched academic calendars, credit transfer friction, and divergent certification standards—constituted primary structural barriers. Ultimately, this study advances a scalable cross-border professional development framework for educational leaders and policymakers aiming to mitigate institutional friction within ASEAN higher education.]]>
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