Universities open campuses in foreign countries, with mixed results

By Rosanna Tamburri. Canadian schools have faced delays and slower than expected growth in enrolment.
The few canadian postsecondary institutions to establish overseas branch campuses in recent years have met with mixed success, demonstrating how tricky it can be to navigate these foreign waters. Those that have taken the plunge include the University of Calgary, which operates a nursing school in Qatar; York University’s Schulich School of Business, which plans to build a business school in India; and the University of Waterloo, which just announced the pending closure of its Dubai campus.
The University of Calgary-Qatar (UCQ) held its third convocation ceremony in November, where a dozen students, all female, received their bachelor of nursing degrees. It marked a major turnaround for the Doha-based institution. Some 40 students have graduated since UCQ opened its doors in 2007, and 50 more are expected to do so next year. Enrolment stands at about 300 students and is expected to reach 400 next year. Early in 2013, the school plans to launch a master’s program. But success has been slow to come, admitted Dru Marshall, U of C provost and vice-president, academic. Read more...