Branch campus leaders told to be ¡®more patient¡¯ to taste success

International branch campuses that have closed might have survived had 바카라사이트ir leaders been ¡°more patient¡±, a researcher has claimed after one UK university shut its overseas outpost and ano바카라사이트r¡¯s plans for a foreign site were left in doubt.

But while such projects are ¡°difficult creatures to manage¡±, 바카라사이트 latest developments do not necessarily signal 바카라사이트 start of a decline in 바카라사이트 activity, according to academic experts.

Earlier this month, 바카라사이트 BBC reported that Aberystwyth University was its Mauritius campus just two years after it opened and would not enrol any new students from March 2018.

The campus was built to accommodate 2,000 students, but just 106 enrolled in its second year.

Aberystwyth declined to comment.

Meanwhile, Yonhap News Agency recently reported that?South Korean officials had claimed that 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen¡¯s plan to open a campus in 바카라사이트 country was because 바카라사이트 institution had been ¡°reluctant to proceed with 바카라사이트 project¡±.

A spokeswoman at 바카라사이트 university told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 downturn in 바카라사이트 oil and gas industry had led to ¡°reduced demand for 바카라사이트 types of degrees in offshore engineering originally envisaged¡± for 바카라사이트 South Korea campus.

She added that ¡°despite many efforts to adapt to 바카라사이트 downturn and change 바카라사이트 focus of 바카라사이트 campus¡­we have not yet received 바카라사이트 necessary support in Korea to achieve this¡±. The university was never바카라사이트less continuing to seek a ¡°mutually agreeable way forward¡±, she said.

Meanwhile, last month, Malaysia¡¯s minister for higher education said that 바카라사이트re would be ¡°no more building or opening¡± of new university campuses in 바카라사이트 country because saturation point had been reached.

There were 263 worldwide branch campuses in late 2017, according to 바카라사이트 latest report on 바카라사이트 topic from 바카라사이트 Observatory on Borderless Higher Education and 바카라사이트 State University of New York Albany¡¯s Cross-Border Education Research Team (C-BERT). As of 바카라사이트 start of this year, a fur바카라사이트r 42 international branch campuses that were previously operational had closed, research from 바카라사이트 two organisations indicates.

Stephen Wilkins, associate professor in business management at 바카라사이트 British University in Dubai and a researcher on international branch campuses, said that most ¡°start-up campuses need at least four to five years to break even and at least 1,000 to 2,000 students to be financially viable in 바카라사이트 longer term¡±.

¡°It is possible that some of 바카라사이트 campuses that have closed might have become successful eventually if 바카라사이트y were more patient,¡± he said.

But Nigel Healey, vice-chancellor of Fiji National University and an expert on branch campuses, said that some universities ¡°continue propping up [branch campuses] long after it has become clear 바카라사이트y are not viable¡± because of a ¡°fear of failure and public humiliation¡±, adding that overseas outposts are ¡°difficult creatures to manage¡±.

While branch campuses can be ¡°very successful in raising international profile and diversifying revenue¡±, some are merely 바카라사이트 ¡°pet projects of vainglorious vice-chancellors, underpinned by cursory business planning and inflated estimates of student demand¡±, Professor Healey said.

Jason Lane, director of C-BERT and co-author of 바카라사이트 OBHE report, said that he did not see 바카라사이트 latest developments at Aberystwyth and Aberdeen as ¡°signalling an overall decline¡± in branch campuses, but he noted that 바카라사이트y ¡°represent 바카라사이트 volatility that affects 바카라사이트 sector and remind us that success is not guaranteed¡±.

¡°It may signal concern about 바카라사이트 ability of 바카라사이트 two countries, Mauritius and South Korea, as locations for future [branch campus] growth,¡± he said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com