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

  • Three U.S. Universities Install Acre Security Access Control Platform

    Cloud-native physical and digital security solutions company Acre Security recently announced that it has deployed its access control platform at three major universities in the U.S., according to a news release. Acre partnered with Atrium Campus to provide coverage for more than 69,000 students at the University of Virginia (UVA), George Mason University, and Rockhurst University.

  • cutaway view of a modern school building, showing various rooms and zones

    Layering AI into HVAC Systems Shows Reduction in Carbon Emissions

    Heating and cooling systems are just one of the many new ways that AI can be integrated into schools. According to a new study from Schneider Electric's Sustainability Research Institute, AI-powered HVAC systems in schools can lead to significant carbon emissions savings.

  • Texas District Finishes Construction on New Middle School, Admin Building

    The Westwood Independent School District recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Westwood Middle School and Administration Building in Palestine, Texas, according to a news release. The campus covers 106,000 square feet and has the capacity for 650 students in grades 6–8, and it will also play home to the district’s staff and administration.

  • Designing Learning Spaces that Support Student Mental Health and Wellness

    In today’s education landscape, schools are more than just centers for learning; they are integral to the holistic development and well-being of students. The global pandemic underscored the importance of addressing mental health in schools, as productivity dropped, stress levels rose and students faced challenges managing emotions.

Digital Edition