Assessing the Feasibility of International Branch Campuses: Factors Universities Consider when Establishing Campuses Abroad.

摘要

International branch campuses (IBCs) degree-granting higher education institutions (HEIs) located in different countries than the HEIs that originated or operate them are an important and growing part of the international higher education landscape (Lawton & Katsomitros, 2012). But for HEIs and other stakeholders involved in the establishment of an IBC, setting up an IBC is not easy and the stakes are high. The academic literature on the decision-making process related to the establishment of IBCs is limited. We don t know a lot about the process or definitively what makes for a successful IBC development effort. As a result, HEIs beginning the development process for the first time don t find a lot of guidance in the literature. The purpose of the research described in this dissertation is to address this gap in the literature by describing the process that HEIs go through and the factors they consider when establishing IBCs. This research draws upon existing education and business management literature as well as primary data gathered through interviews with university leaders, administrators, and faculty. It uses the results of the research to propose a new conceptual framework for future decision-makers such as administrators at universities considering opening an IBC to help guide their decision-making process.