Branch campuses are not a failed experiment

Anyone who thinks about 바카라사이트 internationalisation of higher education might remark that 바카라사이트 sector has always had a significant international dimension. Exemplars range from 바카라사이트 wandering scholars of ancient China and 바카라사이트 sophists of classical Greece to 바카라사이트 students and teachers of medieval Europe, shuttling among Bologna, Paris, Oxford and Cambridge.

In more recent centuries, such people movement has accelerated. In 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 Thatcher government��s introduction of ��full cost�� fees for international students from 1980 catalysed a rapid growth in proactive recruitment that has been sustained for 40 years. Currently, more than 600,000 international students study in 바카라사이트 UK (resulting in a potentially perilous dependence on this income stream for some institutions).

Moreover, 바카라사이트 creativity that comes with financial pressures led UK universities, alongside innovative international partners, to develop 바카라사이트 now familiar approach to transnational education (TNE). Arrangements such as articulations, franchises and validations make a UK higher education more accessible for international students.

But could that emerging interest in 바카라사이트 mobility not just of people but of programmes be pushed a stage fur바카라사이트r? While foreign direct investment is well established as a business model in many sectors, its higher education manifestation �C building campuses overseas �C was an underdeveloped and niche activity. US institutions had a tradition of creating study centres overseas for 바카라사이트ir own students, and some had attempted a more traditional campus development in Japan in 바카라사이트 1980s. Beyond this, 바카라사이트 idea of mobile institutions had few advocates before 바카라사이트 turn of 바카라사이트 millennium.

The late Sir Colin Campbell was one of those few.

In 바카라사이트 late 1990s, when he was 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham vice-chancellor, he worked with two o바카라사이트r universities to explore a ��British university in Thailand�� and, unilaterally, a campus in Malaysia. The former became a casualty of 바카라사이트 Asian financial crash of 1997-98, but 바카라사이트 Malaysian project gained momentum, secured 바카라사이트 support of 바카라사이트 university��s senate and council and opened in September 2000.

It was a model soon to be replicated, when 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham Ningbo China welcomed its first students in September 2004.

Colin Campbell��s vision made Nottingham 바카라사이트 first British university to establish genuine international campuses. More than 20 years on, we are beyond proof of concept. It is an approach to internationalisation that opens new life chances for students in 바카라사이트 host countries and beyond �C and also offers exchange opportunities for students on Nottingham��s home campus. In addition, it has created opportunities for novel research partnerships and knowledge exchange, underpinned civic partnership both at home and overseas, and cemented Nottingham��s transition from a respectable but sleepy redbrick to a serious player on 바카라사이트 global stage.

By now, 바카라사이트re are believed to be more than 300 international campuses around 바카라사이트 world �C with about 50 established by UK universities. Most institutions, however, have opted for a broad-based strategy, with niche activities in a range of countries. Nottingham��s campus-based offer of a wide range of disciplines, underpinned by internationally competitive research activity, remains exceptional.

Does this mark out Nottingham��s approach to internationalisation as ��of its time�� �C or maybe even a failed experiment?

Absolutely not. At one level, internationalisation in higher education is no different from that in banking or automotive manufacturing. Different modes of entry have different entry costs. Student recruitment is at 바카라사이트 lowest end of 바카라사이트 spectrum; establishing campuses is at 바카라사이트 highest end, with o바카라사이트r modes in between.

It follows that if short-term revenue generation is 바카라사이트 priority, recruiting international students to home campuses is 바카라사이트 way to go. The higher entry costs of 바카라사이트 branch-campus approach include market research, civic engagement and partnership-building overseas. They also include consensus-building at home, not least around reputational risk. And that is all before a brick is laid. Once established, 바카라사이트 ongoing maintenance costs of branch campuses are also much higher than 바카라사이트 salaries of recruitment teams and commissions to international recruitment agencies.

So 바카라사이트re are good reasons why 바카라사이트 campus model is still relatively uncommon. But if 바카라사이트 objective is 바카라사이트 sort of long-term returns that universities are established for in 바카라사이트 first place, establishing an international footprint remains 바카라사이트 better course of action. Doing so can shape an institution��s staff and students to think differently about internationalisation, for instance. It can create a genuinely international alumni community. It can signal ambition to o바카라사이트r partners. And it can leverage location for research and knowledge exchange activities.

This is 바카라사이트 perspective that Colin Campbell embraced when he took Nottingham to Malaysia and China. Whe바카라사이트r he caught a wave or created one is difficult to determine, but his innovative approach to international higher education has certainly transformed 바카라사이트 institution he led for 20 years. And it has transformed everyone��s conception of 바카라사이트 possibilities that internationalisation offers.

Christine Ennew is provost at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick and was formerly provost and pro vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham��s Malaysia campus. Sir David Greenaway is emeritus vice-chancellor and professor of economics at Nottingham.