From the Midwest to the Middle East

Universities across America have long had campuses in various locations. IU, for example, has seven campuses outside of Bloomington. But now some universities are looking to expand not just to other cities, but to other countries. New York University is looking to open a campus in the Middle East, most likely in the United Arab Emirates, and Northwestern University has plans to open journalism and communication schools in Qatar. These branches would be similar to their main campuses in curriculum, tuition and admissions standards and would encourage enrollment by Americans as well as students from the host countries.\nWe think this is a great trend, and we hope that it continues. Opening university branches abroad appears to be a great way to strengthen ties with other countries and to foster understanding and respect among cultures. \nThe lack of democracy and free press, the oppression of women, human rights concerns and the threat of terror from the region have kept American relations with the Middle East strained for a long time. But we believe the United States should be active in reaching out to those countries that want to liberalize their governments and economies and improve their image in the world. Academic environments in particular provide an opportunity for people of different backgrounds and ideologies to come together. A statement from Northwestern praised Qatar’s “reputation for balancing rapid social reform with the preservation of local cultural traditions” as well as its “transformation into a knowledge-based society and its drive to become the region’s educational hub.” \nInstitutions like universities and corporations in foreign countries create common goals and interests and foster cooperation and peace. Having an actual branch of a university in another country will create a sense of connectedness that a foreign-study program could never achieve.\nSome people might be concerned that universities ought to focus their energy and money on their home campuses rather than invest in big projects overseas. But the opening and maintenance of the Northwestern satellite in Qatar will be funded by the Qatari government, and it is likely that the Middle Eastern NYU branch will be paid for by the UAE government. So there appears to be a great opportunity for American universities to expand their overseas programs without incurring new costs that raise tuition rates. And we expect the new branches not to draw away from, but rather to enhance the quality of the main campuses.\nBoth the universities and their host countries have a lot to gain from the partnership. Of course students have long been able to travel overseas on foreign-study programs. But now the universities themselves will be able to “study abroad.” The home campuses will be enriched culturally and academically by the experiences acquired on their foreign campuses. In addition, the host countries will have the benefit of the presence of prestigious American universities within their borders. This will improve not only the education, but also the reputation of these countries. \nWe wish the best for these new campuses and hope that other American universities will be inspired to follow their lead.