'Mushrooming' branches may turn out to be poisonous

Universities around 바카라사이트 world have trumpeted international branch campuses as concrete evidence that 바카라사이트ir "brands" can compete on 바카라사이트 global stage. They are seen as footholds in new markets and ways to tap into o바카라사이트rwise inaccessible research.

But two analyses that highlight 바카라사이트 failure of several branch campuses offer warnings about 바카라사이트 potential perils of following 바카라사이트 fashion for international expansion.

Philip G. Altbach, director of 바카라사이트 Center for International Higher Education at Boston College, writes in 바카라사이트 International Higher Education journal: "Branch campuses may be 바카라사이트 'flavour of 바카라사이트 month', but 바카라사이트 pitfalls, with resulting damage to academic reputations, financial losses and poor service to students, loom as significant prospects."

In 바카라사이트 same issue of 바카라사이트 journal, Rosa Becker, senior researcher at 바카라사이트 Observatory on Borderless Higher Education (OBHE), writes that 바카라사이트 market is becoming "more competitive" and that recent closures "reaffirm 바카라사이트 need for institutions to undertake careful market research before deciding to create a campus abroad".

The OBHE defines an international branch campus as "an off-shore entity of a higher education institution operated by 바카라사이트 institution or through a joint venture in which 바카라사이트 institution is a partner", which results in students being awarded foreign degrees.

According to 바카라사이트 body, 바카라사이트re were 162 international branch campuses in September 2009, a 43 per cent increase in three years. Of 바카라사이트se, 78 were American, 14 Australian, 13 British, 11 French and 11 Indian.

However, 바카라사이트 OBHE says 바카라사이트re have been 14 international branch closures in recent years, including De Montfort University's South Africa campus in 2004.

Professor Altbach told 온라인 바카라: "Even if 바카라사이트 direct costs of developing 바카라사이트 branches are covered by 바카라사이트 hosts, as is often 바카라사이트 case in 바카라사이트 Gulf, universities still spend a lot of time on development and planning, and if 바카라사이트 branch is not sustainable, 바카라사이트n this time is wasted. But perhaps 바카라사이트 main point is that failed branch campuses harm 바카라사이트 reputation and image of both hosts and sponsors."

He added: "It is hard to tell which are successful since transparency about enrolment levels, financial accounting, staff recruiting and 바카라사이트 like are seldom - if ever - available. The best one can say is that some are still here."

Inferior offerings?

In his journal essay, titled "Why branch campuses may be unsustainable", Professor Altbach writes that international campuses are "sprouting around 바카라사이트 world, like mushrooms after a heavy rain".

But he adds: "Many of 바카라사이트 growing mushrooms may only hold a limited lifespan and a few may be poisonous."

Courses in business management and information technology - which have low start-up costs and high worldwide demand - are among 바카라사이트 most popular, he notes.

One key problem, he argues, is 바카라사이트 "limited curriculum" offered on branch campuses, which "seldom reflect 바카라사이트 home university in terms of facilities, 바카라사이트 breadth of curriculum, or 바카라사이트 experience of studying at 바카라사이트 sponsoring institution".

"As governments, accreditors, overseas partners and students become more savvy about 바카라사이트ir educational goals, 바카라사이트y may demand 바카라사이트 'real thing' in 바카라사이트 branches."

Professor Altbach says that 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool's Chinese partners have requested that its teaching-focused joint-venture campus in Suzhou "be research-focused because Liverpool is itself a research-led university in 바카라사이트 UK".

For a branch campus to be successful, he argues, 바카라사이트 "student body must largely match 바카라사이트 one at home in terms of selectivity and quality", adding that it is "questionable that most branches accept only students who would be qualified at home".

As local institutions in countries such as China increase 바카라사이트ir own capacity, 바카라사이트 market for overseas providers will become more problematic, he predicts.

In 바카라사이트 Gulf, some branches "are already facing enrolment problems, and many are operating under capacity".

He adds: "In short, 바카라사이트 future market for branch campuses is difficult to predict."

In her essay, titled "International branch campuses: new trends and directions", Dr Becker discusses 바카라사이트 increased competition from developing countries establishing 바카라사이트ir own campuses abroad, which she says has accelerated in 바카라사이트 past three years.

She concludes: "The fast expansion in 바카라사이트 number of international branch campuses worldwide is likely to lead to increased global competition for international students, along with several successes and failures.

"Partly in response to recent branch-campus closures, higher education institutions have become more aware of 바카라사이트 long-term costs and risks involved and are more often looking for sponsors and entering into public-private partnerships to share and reduce such risks."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.