Study Abroad

Included in this issue of College Planning & Management are two articles that feature information on universities outside of the U.S.: Tecnológico de Monterrey (Tec) in Monterrey, Mexico, and the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Tec serves as an example of how design and state-of-the-art technology innovations are taking institutions into the digital age with a thoughtful rebuild of an earthquake-damaged campus. At the University of Windsor, the administration has invested in a campus master plan that offers a vision of its open space and landscape aiming to enrich the student and community experience, update the feel of the campus, and make the university more competitive.

Should we be interested in initiatives on foreign campuses? I think we should.

More than 330,000 American college students studied abroad in the 2016-2017 academic year, according to the 2018 Open Doors Report published by the Institute of International Education. That’s a slight increase from the 2015-2016 academic year, when the number was just over 325,000. (These are students physically attending institutions abroad, not those utilizing virtual or online delivery of instruction.) International collaboration and competition between colleges and universities continues to grow, despite political rumblings that lean in favor of isolationism and building walls. U.S. institutions run more than 70 foreign branch campuses across the globe, according to the Cross-Border Education Research Team (C-BERT), hosted at the State University of New York at Albany and Pennsylvania State University. More than two dozen of them are in China, a growing market for western education.

Whether colleges or universities outside of the U.S. are branch campuses of American institutions—such as the Savannah College of Art and Design Hong Kong, or the University of New Orleans College of Business Administration in Jamaica, to name just two—or foreign-administered, they are still concerned with regulations, accountability, quality assurance, facilities design and maintenance, sustainability, safety, institutional legitimacy, technology, recruiting and retaining students and staff… All familiar topics for CP&M readers.

The locations may be world-wide, but the focus is the same. Creating functional, attractive, safe, and productive environments for all students.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management March 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • ed tech conference calendar

    Upcoming Awards, Events & Webinars

  • KI Wall Demonstrates New Solutions at NeoCon 2025

    KI Wall attended NeoCon 2025 in Chicago, Ill., last month to showcase its new architectural wall systems and collaborations, according to a news release. Its customizable, design-forward wall solutions are intended to support creativity in work, education, and healthcare environments.

  • Delta State University Completes Renovations to School of Nursing Facilities

    Delta State University recently completed a major expansion and renovation project for the Robert E. Smith School of Nursing facilities on its campus in Cleveland, Miss., according to a news release. The project includes about 14,000 square feet of new construction and more than 21,000 square feet of renovation work to the existing space.

  • School Construction Projects Boom as Education Systems Address Aging Facilities and Growth

    Construction opportunities are almost always abundant, but currently there are more than usual construction projects being launched for public school campuses. Common objectives include major renovation or expansion of aging facilities, total replacement of inefficient classrooms, upgrades to lighting, technology, and security equipment, and adding new sports and cultural facilities.

Digital Edition