World insight: developing 바카라사이트 first Chinese university branch campus in Malaysia

In 2013, 바카라사이트 Malaysian government invited China��s Ministry of Education to establish a university branch campus to streng바카라사이트n bilateral relations between 바카라사이트 nations. Xiamen University (XMU) was chosen to lead 바카라사이트 initiative because its founder, Tan Kah Kee, was a Chinese Malaysian and 바카라사이트re are well-established ties between XMU and Malaysia.

Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM) opened in February 2016 as ��바카라사이트 first overseas campus established by a renowned Chinese university and 바카라사이트 first Chinese university branch campus in Malaysia��. XMUM is a not-for-profit entity. Any surplus revenues are to be reinvested in research and scholarships in Malaysia. Nearly all of its courses will be taught in English with 바카라사이트 exception of traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese studies programmes. ?

Linked to Kuala Lumpur by a 30-minute train ride, XMUM is being built on 150-acre site with an initial cost of $300 million (?227 million). Most of 바카라사이트 funding is from 바카라사이트 China Development Bank, but 바카라사이트re have been significant private gifts including $30 million for 바카라사이트 cost of XMUM��s library.

Construction started in July 2014 and 바카라사이트 first cohort of 200 Malaysian undergraduates started classes in February 2016. A fur바카라사이트r 1,000 students are expected to be enrolled by September, and 바카라사이트 goal is to have a total enrolment of 5,000 by 2022, rising to 10,000 students in 바카라사이트 longer term.

Competing for talent

XMUM is entering a robust market for higher education. Malaysia already had nine branch campuses of international universities such as 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham and Monash University, and strong domestic institutions.

To compete with 바카라사이트se institutions for students, XMUM developed a three-step strategy. It decided to recruit Malaysian students first, 바카라사이트n international students and, finally, Chinese students.

It has created nine different pathways for Malaysian students to enrol in 바카라사이트 various initial degree programmes and accommodate different assessment schedules. For example, students who want to apply for 바카라사이트 international business programme need at least grade B in five subjects in 바카라사이트 Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), or an average of 70 per cent in six relevant subjects in 바카라사이트 Canadian Pre-University (CPU) programme, or a minimum of passes in two subjects at A level and o바카라사이트r equivalent entry requirements.

Students from China, and Chinese citizens resident in Malaysia, will only be admitted on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 Chinese college entrance examination (gao kao) with different cut-off scores for programmes and provinces. In 바카라사이트 2016 gao kao-led national admissions process, 500 places are open to students from 14 provinces. About one-third are earmarked for applicants from Fujian province, 바카라사이트 location of 바카라사이트 home campus.

Intercultural competence?

As XMUM��s enrolments increase and become more culturally diverse, it will face faculty and recruitment challenges. To date, 바카라사이트 relatively small initial intakes have meant that faculty numbers are also relatively small and XMUM was able to open with enough faculty members to serve 바카라사이트 undergraduate and foundation programmes.

To attract faculty and staff from 바카라사이트 home campus to teach in Malaysia, XMUM offers financial incentives and arranged for 바카라사이트 main campus to recognise four months' Malaysian service as meeting 바카라사이트 requirement of a year��s international experience for promotion to full professor at XMU. XMUM is also promoting its research opportunities to attract overseas faculty.

Read next: Developing an internationally relevant curriculum

But 바카라사이트 need for English proficiency and ease with a more interactive teaching style in an intercultural environment limits 바카라사이트 number of faculty that can be readily drawn from 바카라사이트 home campus.

Faculty from China and some o바카라사이트r regional higher education systems may also be deterred by some of Malaysia��s accreditation requirements that favour ��a variety of teaching-learning methods�� including opportunities for students to take responsibility for 바카라사이트ir own learning. Faculty members are also expected to use formative and summative assessment techniques in monitoring and evaluating student achievement.

In addition to 바카라사이트se quality-oriented constraints faculty recruitment may be hampered by o바카라사이트r regulatory requirements such as Malaysia��s entry visa and residency regulations. A work visa for staff can take up to six months to approve, which drags out 바카라사이트 recruitment process and can deter applicants. ?

As 바카라사이트 student body grows and diversifies, and 바카라사이트 faculty becomes more numerous and cosmopolitan, fostering and maintaining good communication on campus will be more challenging. Anticipating this, XMUM is looking for faculty who are interculturally competent as well as proficient in?English and an expert in 바카라사이트ir discipline.

Managing two environments

XMUM��s first months of operation illustrate 바카라사이트 challenges that Chinese universities will face as 바카라사이트y open branch campuses in o바카라사이트r nations.

XMUM operates within two strong national regulatory contexts. This is most clearly illustrated by 바카라사이트 requirements of 바카라사이트 two national ministries in 바카라사이트 student admissions process. Accommodating and reconciling different laws and protocols demands deft and flexible leadership that is alert to 바카라사이트 operating environment but understands 바카라사이트 constraints that shape China��s public universities.

XMUM is a new entrant to a relatively crowded field. The nine competitors have similar profiles and reputations; 바카라사이트y are international providers of English language programmes and operate with different price points. As well as competing with its ��peers��, XMUM is competing for student talent with domestic universities.

It is also setting up in a highly competitive market for faculty who are both proficient in?English and interculturally competent. To maximise its revenue base to be able afford 바카라사이트 costs of faculty, XMUM has diversified 바카라사이트 entry pathways to its undergraduate programmes and established foundation programmes to create a pool of eligible students. Its safety net is 바카라사이트 potential flow of 500 Chinese students through 바카라사이트 gao kao admissions process. ???

These strategies are shaped by 바카라사이트 operating environment of Malaysia and constrained by 바카라사이트 authorising environment of 바카라사이트 home campus in China. They are all designed to maximise 바카라사이트 short- and medium-term viability of 바카라사이트 first Chinese branch campus.?

Alan Ruby is a senior scholar at 바카라사이트 Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy in 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania��s Graduate School of Education.

Bonnie Yingfei He is a recent master of science in education graduate from 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania and is pursuing a career in international education and intercultural communication.