Putrajaya, Malaysia November 16, 2007

Issues of Quality Assurance in Off-Shore Degree Programs in Asia Stephen C. Dunnett Professor & Vice Provost for International Education University at Buffalo, The State University of New York

Brief review of American and Asian Student Mobility trends from the post-war years to the present.

1960’S 1980’S ’s

With respect to student mobility, a new trend arose in the late 1990’s and has accelerated in recent years, that is the shift of Asian students from study in the United States toward study in other Asian countries, as well as Australia, Europe, the United Kingdom and Canada.

Now, international students from Asian countries can be found studying in China, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore.

International Student Enrollments in China Koreans54,036 Japanese18,905 Vietnamese5,784 Indonesians4,655 Thais3,668 Source - IIE: Atlas of Student Mobility (2005) Total International Students Studying in China: 141,087 (2005)

International Student Enrollments in Japan Chinese74,294 Koreans15,920 Taiwanese4,245 Thais2,122 Indonesians2,122 Source - IIE: Atlas of Student Mobility (2006) Total International Students Studying in Japan: 117,927 (2006)

International Student Enrollments in Malaysia Chinese10,460 Indonesians5,625 Bangladeshi2,128 Pakistani1,155 Indians942 Source - IIE: Atlas of Student Mobility (2003) Total International Students Studying in Malaysia: 30,407 (2003)

China: 141,087 (2005)* Japan: 117,927 (2006)* South Korea: 22,624 (2006)* Malaysia: nearly 40,000 (2006)* Singapore: approximately 72,000 (2005)** (mostly from Southeast Asia, China and India) International Student Enrollments in Asia *IIE: Atlas of Student Mobility **Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB)

Malaysian campuses in China, Thailand and Indonesia Singaporean campuses in China, India and Indonesia Japanese campuses in Singapore and China Branch Campuses of Asian Institutions in Other Asian Countries

ethical recruitment practices appropriate admission requirements protect students from foreign degree mills protect students from poor quality distance learning programs Quality Assurance in Establishment of Academic Programs Overseas

Ensure: curricula of foreign academic programs are relevant for host country needs entrance requirements for foreign academic programs are appropriate foreign and locally hired faculty are suitably qualified facilities and student support services are adequate Quality Assurance in Establishment of Academic Programs Overseas

protect students from exorbitant tuition and fees protect students from “fly by night” programs ensure transfer credits ensure recognition of foreign degrees Quality Assurance in Establishment of Academic Programs Overseas

Accreditation in the United States: Context no national higher education authority, no ministry of education some quality assurance provided by state governments Result: high variability in quality in U.S. higher education

Accreditation in the United States: Context tradition of non-governmental peer evaluation of institutions and programs regional accrediting agencies such as Middle States Association professional accrediting bodies, e.g. AACSB, ABET, etc.

Quality of International Student Services NAFSA and AIEA: standards and best practices for services to international students

Accreditation of Overseas Programs by U.S. Agencies AACSB accredits programs in other countries ABET does not accredit foreign programs but recognizes “substantially equivalent” programs overseas, comparable in educational outcomes

In Asia, accreditation is not well established or non-existent quality assurance responsibility of ministries of education Asia-Pacific Associations for International Education (APAIE) in Asia, little or no oversight of programs for international students Accreditation of Overseas Programs by U.S. Agencies

University at Buffalo Academic Programs in Asia first U.S. MBA program in China ( ) first branch campus in Malaysia ( ): twinning program with Mara Institute of Technology EMBA at Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) (1996)

University at Buffalo Academic Programs in Asia EMBA at Renmin University of China (1998) EMBA at Motorola University, Beijing (1999) Economics and Business Administration (EBA) Program at Konan University (2001) Undergraduate programs at SIM (2004)

Benefits of Overseas Academic Programs raise profile and prestige of university contribute to increased high-quality international student enrollments create opportunities for research in the host country contribute to the overall internationalization of the campus

Benefits of Overseas Academic Programs enhance the development of international alumni relations foster and support bilateral academic exchanges relationships financial incentives

Common Difficulties in Overseas Programs cross-cultural communication problems with local partners inadequacy of funding communication between home and branch campuses cultural adjustment of expatriate faculty and staff

Common Difficulties in Overseas Programs difficulties with recruitment of qualified faculty recruitment of suitably qualified students ensuring academic quality of program and performance of students replicating U.S. learning environment

UB Policies on Overseas Academic Programs To be approved, proposed program must meet the following conditions: be consistent with institutional priorities prior approval and registration of degree program by appropriate authority meet applicable accreditation requirements adhere to university’s standards for admission and English language proficiency partner institution must be duly recognized by appropriate authorities

UB Policies on Overseas Academic Programs To be approved, proposed program must meet the following conditions: faculty must be suitably qualified full direct and indirect costs must be recovered budget must include provision for academic reinvestment fund (10 percent of total direct costs) all instructional facilities including library and IT must meet UB standards students services must meet UB standards

UB Quality Assurance Provisions Admission requirements and process exclusive responsibility of UB Selection of faculty solely at discretion of appropriate UB department Oversight committee responsible for academic quality and smooth administration of program frequent visits to overseas programs by UB faculty and staff with oversight responsibility constant monitoring of learning outcomes (student performance) and compliance with accreditation requirements

Recommendations quality assurance should be the shared responsibility of foreign and local partner governments should regulate foreign education programs local institutions enrolling international students should meet world class standards

Recommendations local institutions should provide satisfactory services and support for international students governments and institutions of higher education should work together to establish procedures for mutual recognition of qualifications, transfer of credits across borders, and harmonization of their educational systems, along lines of Bologna process in Europe

Thank you!