Blog > Issues in Depth > Education > Brick and Mortar Models forced to Compete in a Globalized World |
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Like the budding for-profit and virtual institutions of higher education, traditional brick and mortar universities are also responding to the needs of global education and the changing demands from students, corporations, governments and society. In most cases internationalization is the response of many academic institutions in an effort to maintain and increase its reach.
Internationalization includes the policies and practices undertaken by academic systems and institutions—and even individuals—to cope with the global academic environment. The many motivations for internationalization include commercial advantage, knowledge and language acquisition, and enhancing the curriculum with international content.44
Universities around the world are working hard to become internationally recognized. In many cases, this is being done through the creation of international campuses or international partnerships between universities, or even between universities and governments.
At the tertiary level, many universities are creating satellite campuses in nations around the globe. It is estimated that there are 2.5 million students moving around the globe.45 Encouraging study abroad opportunities for students, the international expansion of universities is increasing the demand for investment in educational infrastructure.
One of the most progressive forays into the world of global education has been made by New York University, with the implementation of its Abu Dhabi campus in the United Arab Emirates. Conceived of in 2006, the Abu Dhabi outpost was created by the administration and the government of Abu Dhabi. Unlike NYU’s “study abroad” campuses, NYU Abu Dhabi is a “portal campus” (a way to enter fully into the NYU system; a degree-granting research institution offering comprehensive liberal arts and science undergraduate programs in the arts, sciences, social sciences, humanities, and engineering; and, in due course, will also offer graduate degree-granting programs.)46 The Abu Dhabi campus is a fully functional university in its own right, allowing for the expansion of the “NYU” brand on a global level.
Cross-border education is taking place on a global scale as more than ever individuals seek to find and integrate international components into their educational experiences. Around the world, educational institutions are forging transnational partnerships to provide such experiences.
American Universities and Globalization from SUNY Global Center on Vimeo.
44 Altbach, Philip G., and Knight, Jane. The Internationalization of Higher Education: Motivations and Realities. 1.
46 NYU Abu Dhabi: Frequently Asked Questions