Scotland's universities seek to boost their overseas influence

THE reach of Scotland’s universities now stretches far beyond our homes shores, with campuses from Scottish institutions springing up in far flung destinations, in particular the Middle and Far East. 

Universities are now seeking to trade on their expertise in specialist areas, with Aberdeen, one of Scotland’s ancient institutions, out to capitalise on its expertise in the oil and gas sector with the launch of a campus in South Korea in March 2017. 

In the United Arab Emirates, the opening of Heriot-Watt University’s £35m campus in Dubai is one of the most significant overseas operations launched by a UK higher education institution in recent years.

The university’s website talks about how it offers an “expanding range of high quality British degrees to students in the United Arab Emirates and wider Gulf region” at its Dubai campus.

However, Heriot-Watt states that it also allows UK students to transfer for a year or a semester to its overseas campuses in Dubai and Malaysia.

A university spokeswoman said: “Internationalism has always been a concept that Heriot-Watt approaches differently: many universities export their expertise but Heriot-Watt has taken its vision, root and branch, to centres across the world.”

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Meanwhile, the body representing higher education institutions estimates that the international activity from Scottish universities delivers £1.5bn a year to Scotland.

Universities Scotland says that the overseas presence of its members, which includes campuses and partnerships with institutions, has delivered benefits through job creation for Scots and inward investment as a consequence of the work Scottish universities have done overseas.

There is also talk of the “soft power” gained by Scotland’s universities spreading their influence and expertise with the creation of a “global network” of graduates across the world that is a permanent benefit to Scottish higher education and industry.

However, there has been criticism from the University and College Union (UCU) of “some questionable international ventures” with a suggestion that some universities are simply using their overseas presence as a cash cow.

The union has also warned against using the expansion of overseas campuses as an “excuse for principals to globetrot on first-class travel in five-star hotels”.  

Meanwhile, Glasgow Caledonian has opened a campus in London to help it to attract international postgraduates, and also, a nursing college in Bangladesh. 

Edinburgh’s Napier University has opened a biofuel research centre in Hong Kong within the last few months and an office in India.

The University of Glasgow, another ancient Scottish institution, also has a “significant overseas presence” in locations such as China and Singapore.

Professor Anton Muscatelli, principal and vice chancellor of the University of Glasgow, said: “The University of Glasgow has always been outward looking and international, yet at the same time passionately proud of our roots as a Scottish place of learning, teaching and research. 

“We have over 300 formal agreements with universities overseas, covering a wide range of activities from research collaboration through to joint degrees and international student mobility arrangements. 

“As well as developing innovative international partnerships, Glasgow also has a significant overseas presence, building on well-established links in China/Asia to achieve a range of transnational education provision in Singapore (Engineering, Computing Studies and Nursing), and with two top-ranked universities in China: UESTC in Chengdu (Engineering) and from Nankai University in Tianjin.”

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the University of Aberdeen said its moves to launch a campus in Korea would massively boost its international reputation as a specialist course provider in the offshore and energy industries.     

Their spokesman said: “The establishment of our first overseas campus in Korea is a significant milestone in the history of the University of Aberdeen, and it is testament to the academic expertise that exists here that we were chosen as a partner in this project, which has the backing of the Korean Government.

“Our new campus will specialise in offering courses in offshore-related disciplines, and will provide unique new research facilities in engineering, opening up exciting new opportunities in research and teaching.

“Not only this, but the new campus represents a major step forward in the internationalisation of our activities and in raising the university’s profile in a key region of the world.”
Inevitably, the issue of human rights has been raised given some of the overseas locations at which some Scottish universities have opted to launch campuses.

With such campuses abroad still in their relative infancy, there have also been suggestions that higher education chiefs need to do more to point out how launching annexes in foreign countries has benefited those studying and working in Scotland.  

Mary Senior, UCU Scotland official, has welcomed the promotion of Scotland’s universities overseas, but has called on institutions to do more to promote human rights and be more transparent about the way international campuses are run.      

She said: “Education, valuing people and their human rights has to be at the centre of universities’ internationalisation strategies.

“Universities need to be clear on their motives for setting up overseas campuses or forging links with international institutions, and this should be about educational outputs, not an excuse for principals to globetrot on first-class travel in five-star hotels.  

“And importantly, internationalisation work needs to be driven by equality and human rights standards, so that staff and students have fair and consistent conditions to live, study and work.

“In the past we’ve seen some questionable international ventures, but the introduction of the new Governance Act should mean that trade unions and students on governing bodies can now ensure these big strategic decisions aren’t just nodded through.”

However, Universities Scotland’s director, Alastair Sim said the overseas focus had delivered significant benefits in key areas such as the sharing of research and expertise, as well as enhancing the profile and reputation of Scottish institutions.   

Sim said: “Scotland has one of the world’s strongest higher education sectors with more world-class universities than any other country by head of population. This is a remarkable achievement for Scotland given higher education faces fast growing and fierce global competition.

“A number of Scottish institutions have set up overseas campuses and many more are involved in significant programmes of transnational education through partnerships with other institutions.

“This international presence for Scottish higher education delivers a range of benefits and opportunities back home in Scotland. 

“It grows our reputation and in so doing, it makes Scotland a more attractive destination for study, research and business investment. Higher education is one of many assets that boost Scotland’s profile on the world stage. 

“Universities boost Scotland’s global reach and how the country is seen internationally, referred to as ‘soft power’, by helping to create a network of international graduates around the globe. 

“The international role of Scottish higher education opens up new opportunities for research collaborations and investment.

“It also creates and builds a vast global network which our Scottish-domiciled learners can tap into, getting more opportunities to study abroad at overseas campus locations.”

However, the National Union of Students (NUS) Scotland expressed concern that some Scottish universities were operating in regions where the students and staff will be denied basic human rights and where “women face severe oppression” and where “homosexuality remains illegal”.

Rob Henthorn, NUS Scotland vice-president (education), called on universities to use their influence overseas to promote human rights.

He said: “Scotland’s universities are world-leading in both their teaching and research, and there is clearly an opportunity for them to take that excellence and quality and have its impact felt right across the world. 

“But that much comes with firm responsibilities, too – to the staff and students on those campuses, and ensuring the same level of quality, experience and representation as students at home campuses, and also to the wider communities those universities are operating in. 

“There are clearly a number of equality and diversity issues at play when we talk about transnational campuses and education.”

He added: “In many countries of operation, homosexuality remains illegal, with horrific consequences for the individual, women face severe oppression, and staff and students are denied a right to proper representation or the ability to organise collectively. 

“Those are all rights that would be enjoyed by any international student coming to a Scottish campus, and can’t be forgotten about simply because they are instead studying in their home country.

“Transnational education has the opportunity to ensure that basic rights transcend borders. 

“We absolutely cannot forget about our existing and continuing responsibilities to ensure a high quality learning experience or shared rights, regardless of where you study.”

Meanwhile, Carol Monaghan, the SNP education spokeswoman at Westminster, stated that the UK’s place in the EU had delivered funding and information opportunities for Scotland’s universities, that would be in jeopardy in the event of a vote for a Brexit in the In-Out referendum on Thursday.

Monaghan, the MP for Glasgow North West, said: “Education is a sector that has benefited massively through the UK’s EU membership. With €14.8m, Glasgow University alone has been able to lead on global research programmes and put Scotland on the map when it comes to science and sport.

“As well as funding, EU membership allows the UK to be part of a wider network where cooperation and partnerships between research hubs and programmes work without heavy restrictions in countries across the EU.

“Some of the EU-backed initiatives at Glasgow University have led to world-leading discoveries, including the EU-funded Gravitational Waves programme – where scientists were able to detect the collision of two black holes occurring.

“Glasgow University is just one example but it is obvious the role the EU has played in furthering education within the UK and to simply cut those ties would be a loss for students, researchers and scientists as well as the wider academia sector.”