The Fuqua School of Business's announcement last week that it will expand one of its premier degree programs into Asia is a welcome sign of the University's overseas expansion, as well as an indication that administration officials have learned from past mistakes about what makes an international expansion work.
The degree program, the Cross-Continent MBA, is still in its infancy after Fuqua inaugurated the program in 1999. Seeking to respond to changes in the global economy, the program heavily relies on Internet-based education and international business. Partnering with South Korea's Seoul National University will certainly aid the latter goal. Students and professors will have greater access to learning and research at each others' campuses, and Fuqua's for-profit corporate consulting company will help train Korean executives.
Fuqua tried to establish a similar program in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1999, but with one important difference: Duke tried to brave its European expansion alone, not partnering with another university. While Seoul National is clearly the top university in South Korea, Duke founded its Frankfurt campus with only Duke resources. The disadvantage became apparent last year when Fuqua officials cut a significant portion of resources at the campus. European students were and are showing lackluster interest in the Frankfurt campus, leading Fuqua to seek students from Russia and elsewhere. The name and resources of Seoul National will hopefully prevent a similar problem with Fuqua's Asia expansion.
That the business school chose Asia for its next move abroad makes sense. Despite recent security and financial concerns, the Korean peninsula and its neighbors remain one of the most dynamic centers of world economic growth. Economists predict that with continued investment, East Asia will only continue to be a leader in technology and economic development. Fuqua's decision to partner now testifies to a strong and timely sense of planning.
It is also encouraging that, at a time when much of the University is scaling back or at least rethinking long-range plans, the business school is intent to forge on with its investments. Douglas Breeden, dean of Fuqua, has spent years with business school officials planning the Seoul National partnership, and their ability to bring it to fruition during difficult economic times hopefully indicates a stronger fiscal health at the University.
As higher education becomes ever more globalized and universities realize the benefits of cross-continent collaboration, Fuqua has taken a lead at Duke in how to implement international expansion. The rest of the University and Medical Center either are or will work in a similar direction, and Fuqua's experience should serve as a model for what works and what puts Duke at a disadvantage.
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