As the world becomes smaller and more crowded, global experience has become a necessity. Through trade, foreign exchange and the internet people are connecting with individuals from even the smallest countries. Major corporations have set up branches internationally and students from all the world are traveling across the globe to learn. However, Historically Black Colleges and Universities have not had much stake in the conversation of launching an International Branch Campus (IBC). HBCUs have put in years of effort towards attracting international students, but what if they gave domestic students an opportunity to study full time at a campus in abroad? By investing in the international development of Black American college students, HBCUs would be opening a window to the world.
Setting up an IBC can be complex and thorough, but it doesn’t have to be a complete headache. The primary factors to consider are: accreditation, location, and programming.
Accreditation: United States universities with established accreditation can set up an IBC as an American accredited institution much easier than a non-accredited institution. It's also recommended that higher education institutions (HEI) obtain international accreditation in the long run. This would allow the degrees obtained to be recognized internationally. AIAASC
Location: The most crucial step in the IBC process is the location of the institution. The host country will determine the policies and regulations the institution and students will need to adapt to. Every country has its own customs and policies and the topic of cultural intelligence is an important discussion to have during the student onboarding process. Providing students and instructors with thorough handbooks and information prior to and during orientation would make this transition easier and reduce the legal liability.
Physical Campus
When discussing setting up an IBC, the first thought in the minds of many is the expense of purchasing a building or multiple buildings. That would be a tremendous expense and liability indeed. Setting up an IBC is already one of the biggest steps an institution can make, the key to maximizing this process and ensuring minimal loss is productivity. For the sake of time (and to not make this an hour long piece, think of productivity as 'doing more with less'.
Renting a space is a far more feasible and cost efficient option. Once the HEI stakeholders approve of the desired host country and city, the next step is to find the best and safest area in that city and lease a space in a commercial building with multiple rooms that can be utilized as classrooms and office spaces. Leasing a floor of a building versus purchasing a building reduces the liability and upkeep the institution would be responsible for. Once the institution determines programming they can better assess the amount of square footage they would need.
Programming: Of course setting up an IBC doesn’t mean offering every program and degree field that you offer in the US. Quite frankly it would be difficult to obtain the necessary accreditation for certain programs such as Law or Medicine in another country. Again, productivity and agility is the framework. HEIs should pick one or two programs and designate the IBC as the campus offering that program. For instance: If an HBCU offers Museum Studies in their Arts & Humanities Department, instead of duplicating the entire department and rebuilding it in another country, the HEI would only offer Museum Studies at the IBC with the areas of focus included. Now, hypothetically speaking, you have "Livingston Shaddai University School of Museum Studies in Banjul" (or preferably in a country known for museums). Choosing the right program is a decision that requires lots of market research and internal approval. You want to choose the program that's easily transferable and brings in the revenue needed to sustain itself.
Other factors to consider:
Insurance
Funding
Tuition
Faculty & Staff
Global Emergency
I spent my undergraduate years navigating the thrill of HBCU life. I was also blessed to have obtained my Masters degree from an American institution in Dubai. The experience was most rewarding and was the catalyst to my continued travel excursions. I aim to help HBCUs develop a global expansion plan that includes their domestic students and faculty and also allows people from all over the world to have an HBCU experience in their home country. For more resources see links below or email shaddai.livingston@gmail.com.
Author: Shaddai Livingston
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