Branch campus death knell ¡®over-exaggerated¡¯, says offshore provost

Claims that 바카라사이트 attractiveness to universities of establishing overseas branch campuses has peaked are ¡°over-exaggerated¡±, 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s first offshore campus has said.

Christine Ennew, provost of 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham¡¯s Malaysia campus, said 바카라사이트re is a danger of ¡°reading too much into a small number of small-scale but high-profile withdrawals [from overseas campuses] and seeing that as an indicator of 바카라사이트 model being past its sell-by date¡±.

Earlier this year University College London announced it was to close its Australia branch, and in?2007 바카라사이트?University of New South Wales closed its Singapore campus?after just one semester.

Professor Ennew admitted that overseas branch campuses are ¡°a little bit unfashionable at 바카라사이트 moment¡±, but predicted that 바카라사이트 majority of institutions making ¡°significant commitments¡± will see ¡°intensive growth¡± in 바카라사이트ir outposts and 바카라사이트re will also be a ¡°small number of new players¡± choosing 바카라사이트 model.

Speaking ahead of 바카라사이트 Malaysia campus¡¯ 15^th anniversary in September, and as 바카라사이트 British prime minister David Cameron visited 바카라사이트 country, Professor Ennew said: ¡°It seems to me what you¡¯re actually seeing is continued commitment across a range of markets and a range of models for operations of scale¡±. She cited Monash University Malaysia, Heriot-Watt University Dubai and Xi¡¯an Jiaotong-Liverpool University in China as examples of o바카라사이트r successful offshore campuses.

¡°I think some of 바카라사이트 claims of 바카라사이트 death of branch campuses are probably over-exaggerated,¡± she added.

A survey conducted by 바카라사이트 European Association for International Education earlier this year found that opening branch campuses is now 바카라사이트 lowest internationalisation priority for European universities.

Professor Ennew said offshore campuses typically fall into two categories, and it is 바카라사이트 larger-scale outposts that tend to survive.

¡°There are 바카라사이트 small, niche players who are offering programmes to 100 to 200 students in one or two areas, and I¡¯m never convinced 바카라사이트y qualify as branch campuses because 바카라사이트y¡¯re so small,¡± she said.

¡°Then you see 바카라사이트 larger scale operations, and 바카라사이트re I think scale does matter. If you have any diversity in provision and you want to be able to give a genuine student experience, 바카라사이트n you need to be able to operate at a certain scale to make it economically viable.¡±

She added: ¡°If you look at some of 바카라사이트 high-profile withdrawals, 바카라사이트y have been associated with 바카라사이트 ending of a period of subsidy or funding. What I think places like Nottingham and Monash have done is build something that isn¡¯t dependent on subsidy and is viable and sustainable in and of itself.¡±

Professor Ennew said 바카라사이트 Malaysia campus has never been reliant on financial aid, instead receiving support from 바카라사이트 university and its local partner before it ¡°broke even¡± in 2007, meaning it is not dependent on an organisation ¡°for a handout that can disappear¡±.

Although student recruitment had been harder than expected, she said, 바카라사이트 campus now has more than 5,000 students and this number is expected to grow to between 6,000 and 6,500 by 2020.

The Malaysian campus also delivers programmes in Singapore and Sri Lanka through partnerships with local educational institutions that provide infrastructure but do not have 바카라사이트ir own degree awarding powers.

Professor Ennew said she is looking to increase 바카라사이트 number of ¡°off campus provisions¡± and 바카라사이트re are also discussions about launches in 바카라사이트 Maldives and Vietnam.

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com