The Guardian covered the opening of London's newest university-- a branch of Limkokwing University, which is based in Kuala Lumpur and has campuses in Beijing, Jakarta, and Gabarone (the capital of Botswana).
It's the moment when the empire strikes back - in a good way. For generations, Malaysians have been educated by the old colonial power - either coming to UK universities and colleges or following British-style degree courses at home.
This month, the first Malaysian university to return the favour opened its doors in London's Piccadilly. The grand Victorian edifice on one of the capital's most expensive streets shows that Limkokwing University is determined to make a splash.
There are lots of European and American universities, educational corporations, consultants, etc. involved in joint ventures with Asian universities, or setting up foreign branch campuses. But this is no longer entirely a one-way process.
It may have been inevitable that Limkokwing would move into the European market, given the already-global character of its main campus:
The 6,000 students at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology in Kuala Lumpur come from 150 countries, mostly from the developing world, but increasingly from Europe, where governments like those of Denmark and Germany are keen to expose young people to the culture and business of Asia.
So the strategy of creating branch campuses is part brand extension, part growth opportunity, and part attempt to expand opportunities for global study-- something that schools like this see as particularly important.
All this is neat, in the way that counterintuitive trends can be. But what really sticks with me is something Lim says near the end of the article:
British higher education goes back hundreds of years and Malaysian universities can never match the strong traditions in academic scholarship built up by the British.
However, as a developing country, Malaysia is better able to understand the needs of other developing nations. It is therefore in a better position to deliver British education to the developing world.
In future, British education will be delivered in China and Malaysia and wherever. I don't think that can be stopped and I think it is a good thing for the UK.
"British education" as a model of education, not as something that happens in (or emanates from) a specific geographical location, and can thus be treated as a monopoly. This is disruptive thinking. Or as Kris Olds and Susan Robertson comment,
So a Malaysian university, providing a Malaysian education in London, and a British education in Botswana (to students from over 100 countries)…the global higher ed landscape is indeed changing…
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