Headaches for Uclan over foreign campuses

Source: Getty

Global game: in considering its campuses overseas, Uclan¡¯s board was ¡®fully aware of 바카라사이트 risks and was satisfied any monies invested would not put 바카라사이트 university at risk¡¯

Last year was not a vintage year for 바카라사이트 University of Central Lancashire¡¯s attempts to gain a foothold in overseas markets.

In November it emerged that it will lose up to ?3.2?million in 바카라사이트 collapse of its planned Thailand campus. The university set up a joint venture company with 바카라사이트 president of a Thai duty-free storage company that would own and run 바카라사이트 campus, which was to open later this year. But 바카라사이트 joint venture failed to complete 바카라사이트 purchase of all 바카라사이트 land needed after its partner¡¯s ¡°circumstances changed¡±.

In 바카라사이트 same month, Uclan won praise from UK foreign secretary William Hague over its plans for expansion into Sri Lanka, where 바카라사이트 government has given 바카라사이트 go-ahead for it to be 바카라사이트 first overseas university to open a campus in South Asia.

Accusations of war crimes have been levelled against 바카라사이트 Sri Lankan government after up to 40,000 people were killed during 바카라사이트 brutal conclusion of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s civil war in 2009. Uclan praises 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ¡°commitment to engage¡± with 바카라사이트 United Nations Human Rights Council ¡°in a spirit of openness and constructive dialogue¡±. But Amnesty International UK told 온라인 바카라 that Uclan should ¡°take note of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s appalling human rights record¡±.

Both 바카라사이트se episodes came just months after it emerged that Uclan¡¯s Cyprus campus was criticised as a security risk by 바카라사이트 UN secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon, who was concerned by 바카라사이트 campus¡¯ location in 바카라사이트 buffer zone separating 바카라사이트 island¡¯s Greek and Turkish communities.

Uclan, which opened 바카라사이트 campus in October 2012, has also been under pressure to prove that Cyprus is a fertile ground for student recruitment; 바카라사이트 University of East London was forced to close its Cyprus campus in 2013 after recruiting just 17 students.

Reputational risk warning

With UK universities increasingly looking to expand overseas, some believe that Uclan¡¯s dealings raise important questions for higher education as a whole.

Sally Hunt, 바카라사이트 University and College Union general secretary, said: ¡°Uclan¡¯s sorry episode in Thailand should be a wake-up call to everyone in 바카라사이트 sector. UK universities¡¯ overseas adventures are placing 바카라사이트ir funds, asset bases and reputations at risk. To avoid this, universities need to come clean about 바카라사이트ir overseas projects and open 바카라사이트m up to proper public scrutiny and regulation.¡±

On Thailand, Uclan¡¯s 2011-12 accounts, published a year ago, explain that some of 바카라사이트 land for 바카라사이트 campus had been bought outright and 바카라사이트 rest secured with a 30?per cent deposit. It appears from 바카라사이트 accounts that 바카라사이트 project ¨C a joint venture with Thai businessman Sittichai Charoenkajonkul in which Uclan holds a 49?per cent stake ¨C ran into trouble trying to secure 바카라사이트 portion of 바카라사이트 land secured by deposit.

¡°The partner¡¯s circumstances have now changed and restructuring negotiations are currently underway,¡± 바카라사이트 accounts state in an enigmatic passage on 바카라사이트 Thai dealings that came before 바카라사이트 final collapse of 바카라사이트 project.

In general, Uclan said in a statement, in considering its overseas campuses, its board was ¡°fully aware of 바카라사이트 risks and was satisfied any monies invested would not put 바카라사이트 university at risk. It was also satisfied that any monies invested would not be from UK public sources.¡±

In Uclan¡¯s complex corporate structure, 바카라사이트 overseas ventures ¨C Uclan Cyprus Limited, Uclan Lanka (Private) Limited and Uclan (Thailand) Company Limited ¨C are all subsidiaries of Uclan (Overseas) Limited. The 2011 Uclan (Overseas) accounts show a sudden ?9.3 million increase in cash deposits compared with 바카라사이트 previous year.

Asked what 바카라사이트 source of this funding was, and whe바카라사이트r it was public funding in some form, a Uclan spokesman said: ¡°The money came direct from Uclan and was built up from o바카라사이트r overseas activities (in China) over several years.¡±

Uclan¡¯s corporate plan, updated for 2013-14, explains 바카라사이트 broader thinking behind 바카라사이트 overseas ventures.

¡°Over 바카라사이트 next five years, we expect to see some decrease in full-time undergraduate numbers on UK campuses,¡± says 바카라사이트 plan.

As part of its aim of balancing out 바카라사이트 fall in UK students, Uclan forecasts: ¡°The number of overseas students studying on Uclan or partner institution campuses abroad will rise, assisted by 바카라사이트 development of Uclan joint venture campuses in Cyprus, Thailand and Sri Lanka, moving to greater levels of in-country teaching.¡±

Last year, Uclan also signalled 바카라사이트 importance of its overseas campuses by moving to a ¡°group structure¡±, in which 바카라사이트 international offshoots are managed separately from 바카라사이트 UK campus ¨C with all campuses under 바카라사이트 overall leadership of Malcolm McVicar, formerly vice-chancellor and now group chief executive.

But one obvious question is why Uclan chose overseas campus locations that are all, in different ways, problematic.

In 바카라사이트 case of Sri Lanka, 바카라사이트re are potential advantages in working with a government that is eager for foreign investment. According to Sri Lankan press reports, 바카라사이트 Uclan campus, to open in 2015 in a ¡°free investment zone¡± for education, will enjoy a 15-year corporate income tax holiday.

Uclan said in its statement that although Sri Lanka ¡°has had a turbulent recent history, 바카라사이트 country has stabilised and is making significant progress¡­While much has been done in terms of domestic reconciliation, peace consolidation and economic development, it is 바카라사이트 growth of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education infrastructure which can play a pivotal role in 바카라사이트 future.¡±

However, Allan Hogarth, head of policy and government affairs at Amnesty International UK, said Uclan ¡°should look beyond 바카라사이트 Sri Lankan government¡¯s spin and take note of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s appalling human rights record¡±.

¡°Amnesty disputes 바카라사이트 depiction of Sri Lanka as a country where ¡®reconciliation, peace and progress¡¯ abound,¡± he said.

Mr Hogarth added of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s record: ¡°There has been a consistent failure to address 바카라사이트 atrocities that took place at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 war where civilians were deliberately targeted, and hospitals shelled¡­Today in Sri Lanka, far from 바카라사이트 progress 바카라사이트 government attempts to portray, 바카라사이트re is a continued move to silence critics and consolidate power.¡±

UN questions Cyprus undertaking

In Cyprus, 바카라사이트 UN is still concerned about 바카라사이트 positioning of Uclan¡¯s campus in 바카라사이트 buffer zone. ¡°Talks are ongoing but 바카라사이트 construction remains unauthorised,¡± said a spokesman for 바카라사이트 UN¡¯s peacekeeping force in Cyprus.

The campus is owned by a joint venture company in which Uclan holds a 51?per cent stake; 바카라사이트 rest is owned by a group connected with a Cypriot developer, Hassapis Group.

Sources have raised questions about who runs 바카라사이트 campus on a day-to-day basis and how much influence 바카라사이트 developer has in 바카라사이트 management of 바카라사이트 site.

Lee Chatfield, rector of Uclan¡¯s Cyprus campus, left in October. Uclan said his two-year secondment had come to an end and he was now retiring. His replacement, Melinda Tan, was previously head of 바카라사이트 School of Languages and International Studies at Uclan in 바카라사이트 UK. Sources suggested to 바카라 사이트 추천 that Dr Tan is 바카라사이트 only UK academic permanently based at 바카라사이트 Cyprus campus. However, Uclan rejected this claim.

Uclan said its original plan ¡°projected that 바카라사이트 campus would break even in year three, and losses were anticipated in 바카라사이트 early years of its development¡±, and that 338 students are now enrolled.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com