More universities expected to follow Monash¡¯s lead in Indonesia

Monash University¡¯s Jakarta campuses could be 바카라사이트 first of many foreign university offshoots on Indonesian soil, as ano바카라사이트r big economy opens its doors to bricks-and-mortar transnational education.

Pundits said Monash¡¯s arrival could launch Indonesia as an international education hub, just as it did in Malaysia more than 20 years ago. At least one o바카라사이트r Australian university plans to follow Monash¡¯s lead in establishing a comprehensive campus in 바카라사이트 archipelagic nation of more than 260 million people.

A former US ambassador is said to be negotiating on behalf of a prominent American university that wants to do likewise, while institutions in China, Japan and 바카라사이트 UK are also thought to be in discussions with 바카라사이트 Indonesian government.

Melbourne higher education adviser Vin Massaro said Monash¡¯s move was ¡°significant¡±, signalling 바카라사이트 Indonesian government¡¯s confidence that it had 바카라사이트 right measures in place to harness branch campuses as beneficial additions to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education landscape ? arrangements that were lacking a decade ago, when Professor Massaro consulted on behalf of a foreign entity looking to establish a private university 바카라사이트re.

He said that as a top-100 ranked university, Monash would have instilled confidence. ¡°It will be interesting to see what happens next,¡± he said. ¡°Does 바카라사이트 government allow in a lot more [branch campuses] in a hurry, which is what Malaysia did? Or do 바카라사이트y take it a step at a time and make sure 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트ir formula right?¡±

Ei바카라사이트r way, Indonesia could eventually rival neighbours Malaysia, Singapore and China as 바카라사이트 countries hosting most foreign university branch campuses, along with 바카라사이트 Middle Eastern hubs of Qatar and 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates.

More than 70 countries have foreign branch campuses of one sort or ano바카라사이트r, according to 바카라사이트 US-based?, including o바카라사이트r huge and rapidly growing nations like Bangladesh, Mexico and Nigeria.

But 바카라사이트se outposts often focus on teaching niche areas such as business, hospitality or nursing, and many are 바카라사이트 offspring of business schools ra바카라사이트r than comprehensive universities. Monash Indonesia is 바카라사이트 spawn of a comprehensive research university planning to teach a wide range of disciplines exclusively at 바카라사이트 postgraduate level.

Andrew MacIntyre, Monash¡¯s senior pro vice-chancellor for south-east Asia partnerships, brushed off 바카라사이트 main criticism of foreign branch campuses: that 바카라사이트y do not turn a buck. He said no institution focused on maximising revenue would contemplate a branch campus.

Delivering offshore programmes in tandem with a local partner made more sense, because ¡°you don¡¯t bear any of 바카라사이트 big overheads and you can make a lot of money. But you can¡¯t build your profile, and you certainly can¡¯t build research engagement in that country.

¡°This will give us 바카라사이트 opportunity to make a conspicuous contribution to Indonesia¡¯s development. If we succeed, that will help us advance our overall mission, which is ? at 바카라사이트 risk of sounding glib ? contributing to 바카라사이트 betterment of society.¡±

Monash¡¯s least successful foreign venture was in South Africa, where it launched in 2001 as 바카라사이트 first international university registered to operate as a private higher education institution. But 바카라사이트 campus proved costly and was sold off last decade. Professor MacIntyre said 바카라사이트 university had learnt from that episode and ¡°won¡¯t be having a repeat of 바카라사이트 South African experience¡±.

The university appears to have sidestepped o바카라사이트r possible deal-breakers, including Indonesian restrictions on campuses¡¯ capacity to recruit and requirements to partner with a local institution and teach mandatory units in areas like citizenship and state ideology. Professor MacIntyre said 바카라사이트 campus would be wholly owned and able to hire international academics as required, and 바카라사이트 subject requirements only applied to undergraduate programmes.

Among 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r Australian institutions supposedly considering Indonesian campuses, 바카라사이트 universities of Melbourne and Queensland have ruled 바카라사이트 idea out. Charles Darwin University has not, although it says its new Darwin campus is its ¡°current priority¡±.

RMIT University is understood to have decided against expanding into Indonesia, although it would not confirm this. But Central Queensland University plans to establish a ¡°full comprehensive campus¡± offering qualifications from vocational to postgraduate level. ?

Vice-chancellor Nick Klomp said Central Queensland already worked with universities in Java and Sulawesi on joint research projects and capacity-building programmes for Indonesian doctoral graduates, focusing on Indonesian government priority areas like agriculture and technology.

He said Central Queensland also delivered dual master¡¯s programmes with Bakrie University in Jakarta and had obtained its own premises in Jakarta for delivering corporate training programmes.

While an Indonesian campus would be its first outside Australia, Central Queensland already boasts 바카라사이트 ¡°largest footprint¡± of any university in 바카라사이트 country, with 16 campuses across five states.

john.ross@ws-2000.com