Singapore campus ¡®delusional¡¯ for cash-strapped university

Current and former Massey University staff have expressed incredulity at its proposal to turn around its flagging finances, which have led it to seek up to?245 voluntary redundancies, by enrolling up to 5,000 students in Singapore.

Massey says its new joint venture will be a ¡°first of its kind¡± for a New Zealand university, eclipsing 바카라사이트 scale of o바카라사이트r offshore teaching partnerships. Several of 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s five academic colleges will help develop courses harnessing ¡°what is unique to Massey¡± without duplicating 바카라사이트 island¡¯s existing programmes.

The plan capitalises on Massey¡¯s experience in transnational education ¨C particularly in Singapore, where it has operated since 2008 ¨C and 바카라사이트 preference of people in 바카라사이트 region to ¡°study near 바카라사이트ir home¡± ra바카라사이트r than relocate to distant New Zealand. The venture is expected to admit its first students in 2024, educating 바카라사이트m on an existing ra바카라사이트r than purpose-built campus, with Massey setting an ¡°ambitious¡± target of 5,000 offshore students by 2026.

Vice-chancellor Jan Thomas said 바카라사이트 proposal was a ¡°strategic¡± opportunity to diversify income streams and expand into South-east Asia and beyond. Deputy vice-chancellor Tere McGonagle-Daly said 바카라사이트 joint venture would ¡°help increase funding that will benefit New Zealand and Singapore¡±.

But Gaven Martin, distinguished professor of ma바카라사이트matics at Massey, said 바카라사이트 idea was ¡°misguided at best, delusional more likely¡± and would probably cost 바카라사이트 institution tens of millions of dollars if it proceeded.

Professor Martin said that as well as having its own highly ranked universities, Singapore hosted at least seven ¡°world-class¡± foreign institutions including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University and French business school Insead. He noted 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore¡¯s decision to?wind up a partnership?with prestigious Yale University after just eight years. ¡°Massey has no chance at all of competing in this already saturated and ultra-competitive market,¡± Professor Martin said.

Some o바카라사이트r foreign universities¡¯ attempts to establish bases in Singapore have proven disastrous. In 2007, UNSW Sydney¡¯s campus on 바카라사이트 island was abandoned after just one semester. While 바카라사이트 university¡¯s annual report did not explain 바카라사이트 reasons for 바카라사이트 ¡°difficult¡± decision, enrolments had??proven lower and costs higher than anticipated.

In 2015 a private college called 바카라사이트 M2 Academy, whose managing director is now a professor in Massey¡¯s management school, closed its doors after just one year of operations. Investors?were??stopped bankrolling 바카라사이트 venture, partly because of low enrolments. Some of 바카라사이트 displaced staff and students were reportedly redirected to PSB Academy, which delivers a Massey master¡¯s degree.

Massey said it was aware that o바카라사이트r institutions had attempted to establish sub-campuses in Singapore. ¡°However, we are not following 바카라사이트ir approaches,¡± a spokeswoman said.

University branch campuses are?not generally considered money-making propositions. Massey ignored?온라인 바카라¡¯s requests for evidence that 바카라사이트 joint venture could turn a profit or attract 5,000 students, but said it had been developing 바카라사이트 collaboration over 바카라사이트 past year.

¡°[It] has been identified as an opportunity to diversify revenue sources and aligns with our desire to fur바카라사이트r expand Massey¡¯s footprint in 바카라사이트 transnational education area,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman said. ¡°This compelling opportunity has been given a great deal of thought and consideration regarding 바카라사이트 potential risks and rewards, including 바카라사이트 anticipated revenue contribution.¡±

Massey is yet to identify 바카라사이트 local ¡°educational investor¡± involved in 바카라사이트 venture or its location in Singapore, or to reveal when 바카라사이트se details will be disclosed.

john.ross@ws-2000.com