Higher education hubs – Why do we want them?

By Katherine Forestier and Yojana Sharma. Significant planning and investment have been devoted to developing higher education hubs around the world, but the reasons that drive host countries to set up areas that can attract foreign branch campuses can be diverse, a global higher education conference heard this week. Among the key motivations are to internationalise and modernise the higher education sector in the host country, develop a skilled workforce and retain students, attract foreign direct investment and increase the country’s economic competitiveness, and enhance geopolitical status using soft power, according to Jane Knight, adjunct professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, at the University of Toronto. Hubs can be classified into three types: those that want to attract international students; talent development; and knowledge and innovation. Read more...