EAIE Annual Conference 2011, Copenhagen Perils, pitfalls and new opportunities in international education Case study: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Stephen Wilkins

THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE) Population: 5.1 million Main Cities: Abu Dhabi, Dubai Centres for international higher education: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras al Khaimah Number of private higher education institutions: 69 (Source: CAA, 2011) Number of international branch campuses: 40+

INTERNATIONAL BRANCH CAMPUSES IN THE UAE - EXAMPLES Australia University of Wollongong – est. 1993 - 4,352 students (2010-11) Murdoch University - est. 2008 France Paris-Sorbonne - est. 2006 - fully funded by Abu Dhabi government Switzerland École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) - est. 2009 in RAK United Kingdom Heriot-Watt University - est. 2005 Middlesex University - est. 2005 - 1,700 students United States New York University - est. 2006 - fully funded by Abu Dhabi government

OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION IN THE UAE Large expatriate population with few alternatives for higher education in the UAE Insufficient capacity in the state education system Incentives and funding from UAE government Source of revenue for institutions Facilitates two-way movement of students between home and branch campuses Meets the needs of local employers and economy Contributes to raising quality of UAE higher education

POTENTIAL PERILS AND PITFALLS FOR INSTITUTIONS Very competitive market – failure to meet student enrolment targets Financial loss – costs higher, revenues lower than expected Quality of students Quality of academic staff Quality assurance concerns – learning resources and assessment Difficult to offer a student experience that is comparable with the home campus Unpredictable regulatory regime Potential loss of reputation and damage to brand image

Questionnaire – hard copy or online version STUDY 1: Why do students choose to study at international branch campuses? STUDY 2: How satisfied are students at international branch campuses with their overall student experience? (Wilkins, Balakrishnan and Huisman – not yet published) Questionnaire – hard copy or online version Data obtained by students using social media and email Sample sizes: 320 and 247 Several branch campuses – 3 US, 2 UK, 1 Australian Undergraduate and postgraduate students 85-90% students studying Business/Management/Computer Science/Information Technology

Home campus of Western university International branch campus P1 push factors from home country Lack places Low quality Subjects not available Economic/social problems P2 push factors Lack places Low quality Subjects not available Ineligibility to enter state institutions P1 pull factors Reputation of country for quality Reputation of institution High rankings English speaking country Prospects international labour mkt. Experience a new culture P2 pull factors Convenience Country-specific advantages Better than state institutions Prospects in local labour market More familiar/comfortable with culture/lifestyle in UAE Home campus of Western university International branch campus

STUDENT SATISFACTION AT BRANCH CAMPUSES IN THE UAE Indicator % students agreeing with statementa So far, my course has met all of my expectations 64.4% I am very satisfied with my university and would definitely choose it again 66.5% My choice of university was a wise decision 72.0% My programme offers good value for money 65.6% I would recommend my university to friends 67.3% a Scores of 5-7 on the 7-point rating scale.

Scorecard Programme effectiveness – 7.1 / 10 Quality of lecturers and teaching – 7.2 /10 Student learning – 7.1 / 10 Assessment and feedback – 7.2 / 10 Learning resources – 7.1 / 10 Use of technology – 7.1 / 10 Facilities and quality of social life – 7.2 / 10

AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT Need more contact with lecturers (17.9%) Do not receive detailed and helpful feedback on my work (20.7%) Lecturers not sympathetic when I have problems (18.7%) My university does not provide a lot of leisure activities and entertainment for students (17.5%) My university does not have a lot of clubs and societies for students (15.9%) There is not a lively social scene on campus (15.8%) My university does not have a good careers advice and internships service (16.6%)

CONCLUSION Generally high levels of student satisfaction across all UAE branch campuses represented in the survey Student satisfaction scores in this study lower than similar studies in UK (e.g. Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2011)

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