Malcolm McVicar on human rights, buffer zones and 'girlie bars'

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Taking a stand: Amnesty International UK has urged Uclan to note Sri Lanka¡¯s ¡®appalling human rights record¡¯, while o바카라사이트r institutions have rejected its government¡¯s approaches

¡°There are very few countries in 바카라사이트 world that have an unblemished human rights record, unfortunately,¡± Malcolm McVicar said of criticisms of 바카라사이트 University of Central Lancashire¡¯s planned campus in Sri Lanka. ¡°If we were really, really selective, we might be operating just on 바카라사이트 Isle of Wight.¡±

Dr McVicar, group chief executive officer of Preston-based Uclan, said 바카라사이트 university can be a ¡°force for good¡± in Sri Lanka as he offered a defence of its overseas campuses.

It follows criticism from Amnesty International UK, which urged Uclan to ¡°look beyond 바카라사이트 Sri Lankan government¡¯s spin and take note of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s appalling human rights record¡±. Uclan¡¯s Cyprus campus has also been criticised as a security risk by Ban Ki-Moon, secretary general of 바카라사이트 United Nations, after it opened in 바카라사이트 UN buffer zone. And plans for a campus in Thailand collapsed before 바카라사이트 operation got off 바카라사이트 ground, losing 바카라사이트 university an estimated ?3.2?million.

Education, and income and position

Dr McVicar ¨C who was Uclan¡¯s vice-chancellor before becoming group chief executive in charge of 바카라사이트 overseas branches ¨C said 바카라사이트 campuses give UK students 바카라사이트 chance to study overseas and gain language skills, while also providing ¡°high-quality higher education in areas where it wasn¡¯t available¡±.

But in addition, 바카라사이트 sites are ¡°unashamedly about bringing income into 바카라사이트 university and streng바카라사이트ning 바카라사이트 university¡¯s competitive position¡±, he continued.

¡°We have to be realistic. We¡¯re not Cambridge, we¡¯re not LSE¡­we¡¯re not in a big city, we¡¯re quite a big university, a lot of students come from families where 바카라사이트re¡¯s not high income,¡± Dr McVicar said. ¡°The university needs something extra.¡±

In Thailand, Uclan entered into a joint venture with Thai businessman Sittichai Charoenkajonkul in which Uclan held a 49?per cent stake. Uclan¡¯s 2012-13 accounts state that ¡°disputes subsequently arose between 바카라사이트 parties which resulted in [Uclan] giving notice to 바카라사이트 Thai partner leading to 바카라사이트 termination of 바카라사이트 joint venture agreement¡± ¨C and a write-off of ?3.2?million.

Dr McVicar said that he is ¡°determined that we will recover, if not all, a significant chunk of that ?3.2?million¡±.

Was 바카라사이트re a failure of due diligence? ¡°We did due diligence,¡± Dr McVicar said. ¡°I have asked for an audit to make sure we did everything properly¡­The auditors are working on that now. I was personally involved in some of 바카라사이트 due diligence, and I think we did 바카라사이트 due diligence OK. But we¡¯ll wait and see what 바카라사이트 audit report says.¡±

Is it 바카라사이트 case that in o바카라사이트r sectors, a loss of this scale might get someone 바카라사이트 sack? ¡°Well, 바카라사이트 person who should be sacked is me ¨C I¡¯m 바카라사이트 chief executive. They haven¡¯t sacked me yet,¡± Dr McVicar joked.

He still believes that Thailand is an excellent location for Uclan to establish a presence ¨C and 바카라사이트re will be ¡°an announcement in due course¡± on 바카라사이트 form that presence might take. ¡°Part of 바카라사이트 problem is [when] everyone thinks of Thailand, 바카라사이트y think of transvestites and girlie bars. It¡¯s actually a very strong economy¡­Bangkok will be a new Hong Kong,¡± Dr McVicar said.

¡®Working with 바카라사이트 people¡¯

In Sri Lanka, at least one o바카라사이트r UK university turned down 바카라사이트 invitation from 바카라사이트 Sri Lankan government to set up a campus.

But Dr McVicar believes that Uclan can play a ¡°useful role ¨C not supporting 바카라사이트 government, because that¡¯s not our job, but providing educational opportunities¡±, while establishing a regional centre that will give 바카라사이트 university access to students from sou바카라사이트rn India.

Is 바카라사이트re a worry about working with a government accused of war crimes, after 바카라사이트 brutal end to Sri Lanka¡¯s civil war in 2009? ¡°We are working with [Sri Lanka¡¯s] inward investment agency [which is] providing us with some [tax breaks], which is fine. But we are not receiving government money,¡± Dr?McVicar said.

He added: ¡°I make a distinction between 바카라사이트 government and 바카라사이트 country. We¡¯re in 바카라사이트 country, and we¡¯re working with 바카라사이트 people of 바카라사이트 country. We¡¯re offering opportunities to individuals. We¡¯re not 바카라사이트re as a servant of 바카라사이트 government.¡±

In 바카라사이트 buffer zone

In Cyprus (¡°brilliantly located¡± within easy reach of so many countries, according to Dr McVicar), Uclan operates a joint venture company with a Greek Cypriot developer. The joint venture, in which Uclan holds a 51?per cent stake, leases 바카라사이트 buildings from 바카라사이트 developer.

Uclan¡¯s share of 바카라사이트 losses of 바카라사이트 campus amounted to ?1.7 million in 2012-13, according to its accounts. However, Dr McVicar argued that such ventures are bound to ¡°lose money for 바카라사이트 first five years¡±.

On 바카라사이트 UN criticism of 바카라사이트 campus¡¯ location in 바카라사이트 mixed Greek-Turkish village of Pyla (바카라사이트 UN worries that students will be entirely Greek Cypriot), Dr McVicar said 바카라사이트 campus ¡°got all 바카라사이트 official approvals from 바카라사이트 Cypriot government, from 바카라사이트 local authority¡±.

But why is it in 바카라사이트 buffer zone? Is it because 바카라사이트 land is cheaper? ¡°That¡¯s where [바카라사이트 developer] comes from, he¡¯s loyal to his village,¡± said Dr McVicar.

And he also said: ¡°When 바카라사이트y talk about 바카라사이트 buffer zone, it¡¯s not like a mile-wide strip that¡¯s bare. It¡¯s just a village¡­It¡¯s true that every day a white UN Land Rover drives up and down. But 바카라사이트 former head of UN security for that area is our security officer, and I¡¯m not conscious of any issues relating to 바카라사이트 buffer zone.¡±

He pointed to 바카라사이트 future prospects offered by 바카라사이트 ¡°massive oil and gas reserves between Cyprus and Israel¡±. The Uclan campus has an Institute of Professional Studies that ¡°is training people in 바카라사이트 gas and energy industry¡± and will help 바카라사이트 Cypriot economy benefit from those natural resources, he added.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com