DKU optimistic in year 2 despite economic downturn

After China’s recent economic decline and an inaugural year with mixed reviews, Duke Kunshan University is moving forward into year two.

DKU—a partnership between Duke and Wuhan University in China—kicked off its second year for students and faculty on Aug. 24. The recent economic turmoil in China may not hurt DKU’s progress toward launching its full four-year undergraduate program, providing more services to students and expanding research capabilities, said Denis Simon, executive vice chancellor of DKU.

“What’s really important is that we don’t see any less of a commitment from the Chinese government in supporting DKU,” said Simon, who replaced Mary Brown Bullock Aug. 1. “I think we see continuing strong support by the Kunshan government, Jiangsu province and Chinese Ministry of Education.”

Families in China might be even more inclined to send their kids to school at DKU rather than abroad in a time of financial trouble, which puts DKU in a better position to attract students, Simon explained.

Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations, agreed, saying partners in China have given no indication that the economic downturn will have a significant impact on long-term plans for DKU.

“We’re paying close attention to it,” Schoenfeld said. “At this point, it’s too soon to tell what the impact of fluctuations in the Chinese economy will have on DKU and higher education.”

Administrators of DKU are also focused on planning for major developments on campus and improving the student experience this year. When DKU opened last fall, ongoing construction of the student dormitories, faculty residence hall and parts of the academic center made for a campus some felt was “unfinished.”

“What we learned this past year was to be more like bamboo—flexible but not snapped, and to accommodate the challenges of operating in China,” Simon said. “The Chinese side learned what it means to collaborate with a western University, so there was a duality of learning.”

Although student and faculty feedback was generally positive, some students had expectations for a more polished environment, he noted.

“We’re making sure we design and build a series of buildings in alignment with the undergraduate pedagogy,” he said, explaining that how classes will be taught determines the style of buildings needed.

Simon noted that five buildings comprising DKU’s campus have been completed and work is underway on a sixth.

He added that DKU is continuing to develop more graduate programs and is currently engaged in planning for Phase 2—the launch of a four-year undergraduate program aimed for 2018. Currently, DKU only offers semester-long programs for undergraduates—in which there are currently 53 students enrolled. DKU also offers three masters programs in global health, medical physics and management studies with a total of 37 students. Schoenfeld added that both student and faculty interest in DKU is increasing.

“If you look at the number and breadth of faculty who are interested in developing classes, programs and research initiatives for DKU, that’s a really strong indicator of its potential value not just to Duke but to higher education,” he said. “This is a very long term proposition and the real marker of success will not be in year two or year five—it’s going to be in year ten or 20.”

In the next few years, focusing on expanding research programs and bringing in faculty will be one of the major goals of DKU, Simon added, describing a vision of a “strategic triangle” involving undergraduates, graduates and research initiatives. As part of what Simon calls a “fine-tuning” process, DKU is also looking to provide more services for the students, like frequent access into nearby towns, and to foster a greater sense of community on campus.

“We’re trying to make sure there aren’t glitches,” Simon explained. “We want to keep the momentum going forward.”