This paper takes two Chinese international branch campuses (IBCs) located in Europe as cases and uses semi-structured interviews and document analysis to clarify the motivations of establishing IBCs, the IBCs’ governance models, and their operational challenges. We find that authorities’ regulatory policies and public norms impact the decision making of Chinese universities. Universities are also eager to uphold their vision of opening up through setting up IBCs. The governance of Chinese IBCs mainly depends on bilateral cooperation rather than on adoption of the host or home university’s governance modus operandi, which indicates a kind of transitional approach. The joint decision-making, limited financial resources and institutional distance between the home and host universities have led to a “both-and” way for programme operation. Overall, the self-proclaimed orientation of Chinese IBCs in Europe has not yet been fully achieved, and a series of ongoing issues remains to be resolved.