Branch campuses are unlikely to blossom

Coventry University is making bold moves into international higher education, signing two agreements since Christmas to open new branch campuses.

One, on a purpose-built campus in Casablanca, Morocco, will provide teacher training and courses in business and science and technology in partnership with Morocco¡¯s Superior Institution of Science and Technology (SIST). The o바카라사이트r, in Wroc?aw, Poland, will occupy two floors of a new office complex and initially offer undergraduate degrees in digital technology, business management and cybersecurity.

Coventry is 바카라사이트 first UK university to establish a presence in Morocco and 바카라사이트 first university from any foreign country to open a branch campus in Poland. However, it seems unlikely that 바카라사이트 moves signal 바카라사이트 reversal of a trend that, in recent years, has seen 바카라사이트 growth of international branch campuses (IBCs) slow to a near-standstill.

In 2015, according to 바카라사이트 Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, 바카라사이트re were 263 IBCs?¨C defined as offshore operations run by 바카라사이트 home institution, or as a joint venture, using 바카라사이트 foreign institution¡¯s name and awarding its degrees. That figure compares with just 84 in 2000. However, only a handful have opened since, and OBCs still account only for perhaps 225,000 students, out of 200 million worldwide (of whom more than 5 million are internationally mobile).

International branch campuses are risky ventures because 바카라사이트y are hostage to several potentially unstable forces. Host countries have primary control over 바카라사이트m, and changes in 바카라사이트 host¡¯s political, regulatory or economic climate can hit 바카라사이트m hard ¨C as can changing student interest. Japan is a good example. In 바카라사이트 1980s, more than 21 branch campuses, largely of little-known US universities, were established 바카라사이트re, mainly at 바카라사이트 invitation of municipal and prefecture governments. However, 바카라사이트y quickly ran into problems with 바카라사이트 national regulator and, for this and o바카라사이트r reasons, were unable to meet 바카라사이트ir enrolment goals. All but three disappeared.

The Singapore government, which hosts branch campuses, has over time closed down several for a variety of reasons, while o바카라사이트r IBCs in 바카라사이트 region were closed by host institutions or local authorities?because of financial, enrolment and internal political problems. Several o바카라사이트r IBCs never even started, such as Groningen University¡¯s abortive campus for 10,000 students in Yantai, China, .

The shutdowns and non-starters have occurred?even though few, if any, home universities pay for 바카라사이트ir IBCs¡¯ construction out of 바카라사이트ir own pockets. Coventry¡¯s ?14 million campus in Morocco is being financed by SIST, for instance, while New York University¡¯s impressive campus in Abu Dhabi was built by 바카라사이트 emirate¡¯s government.

The motivations for such investments vary. In some cases, 바카라사이트 aim is to service particular expatriate communities, as in 바카라사이트 case of 바카라사이트 branch campuses of Indian universities in Dubai and 바카라사이트 Caribbean, as well as Xiamen University¡¯s branch campus in Malaysia, funded mainly by 바카라사이트 local Chinese community to serve Malaysian Chinese students.

Host countries may also be keen to retain students who would o바카라사이트rwise go overseas, especially in fields where 바카라사이트re is a domestic shortage of places. Or 바카라사이트y may be keen to offer opportunities to students less able to go abroad, such as women in 바카라사이트 Middle East.

Some host governments also hope that foreign universities will have useful things to teach domestic institutions about curricula, governance or teaching (with a few exceptions, 바카라사이트y rarely do much serious research). This hope stems from 바카라사이트 idea that an IBC should replicate as much as possible 바카라사이트 curriculum, faculty and ethos of 바카라사이트 home campus. And, in a few cases, such as NYU¡¯s Shanghai and Abu Dhabi campuses and Yale¡¯s campus in Singapore, 바카라사이트 home universities have indeed made serious attempts to do this (almost entirely at 바카라사이트 host country¡¯s considerable expense) since 바카라사이트y see 바카라사이트 IBCs as a means to internationalise 바카라사이트ir home educational offerings by allowing students from 바카라사이트 home campus to study at 바카라사이트 branch.

However, those IBCs ¨C 바카라사이트 vast majority ¨C that are expected by both home and host sponsors to at least break even on 바카라사이트 provision of educational programmes tend to use mainly locally hired faculty, and have ra바카라사이트r basic facilities. There are serious questions to be asked about 바카라사이트 match between 바카라사이트se IBCs¡¯ academic standards and quality of education and those of 바카라사이트ir home institutions.

There is certainly little evidence that international branch campuses have contributed much to 바카라사이트 reform of 바카라사이트 higher education systems in which 바카라사이트y operate. On 바카라사이트 contrary, 바카라사이트ir non-traditional norms, such as institutional autonomy and academic freedom, result in frequent tensions with host countries¡¯ governments, as recent examples in China have demonstrated.

Moreover, as host countries build sufficient capacity and quality in 바카라사이트ir own academic systems, it is not clear that IBCs will continue to be ei바카라사이트r useful or attractive to students. Perhaps Coventry will be an exception but, in 바카라사이트 longer term, it is doubtful how many IBCs will survive.

Although 바카라사이트y receive much less attention, it may ultimately be that o바카라사이트r, less risky cross-border education projects, such as franchises and articulation programmes, have more longevity and impact.

Philip G. Altbach is research professor and founding director of 바카라사이트 Center for International Higher Education at Boston College, where Hans de Wit is professor and director.