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Here’s the title of the ad or the subject line in the spam e-mail that clutters your mailbox: Get a degree from an American university online, and in your own language! This time, however, instead of automatically deleting the e-mail, you open it and think about it. Is such a plan feasible now that online programs are well-established and online access is more universal? But, is such a program even advisable? Obviously, there are many, many legitimate university partnership and affiliations that offer wonderful experiences and high-quality education to students and faculty members. However, as in all aspects of higher education, caution is warranted.

The advent of online programs and distributed education may seem like a dream come true to international investors seeking to establish a private university in their home country that differentiates itself from the competition. In many countries, the state universities, while affordable, are so overwhelmed that they can no longer serve the needs of their countries’ populations, which, in developing nations, tend to be predominantly young. Jobs are scarce, and institutions of higher education that seem to offer an entree to jobs overseas are particularly attractive.

As a result, developing nations have witnessed a boom in the establishment of private colleges and universities, many with ties to well-known universities in the United States or other countries, with well-known and respected institutions of higher learning. Generally speaking, the ties consist of exchange programs and transfer possibilities. The degree that is granted is from the new college (not from the U.S. partner college), but the reputation of the college can be very high, due to the affiliation. Such colleges tend to be expensive, and the students tend to be sons and daughters of upper middle class and elite businessmen, who will take advantage of the opportunity to study abroad in the U.S. for at least one semester of their university experience.

How does one differentiate between an institution with good intent, and one that is simply opportunistically pursuing a profit motive? There are many ways to safeguard yourself, if you are a small college or unit seeking to partner with a college to offer online degrees in other languages.

Just to make sure that there are no misunderstandings, please keep in mind that this is not addressing study abroad programs or foreign language programs with instruction in another language.

Preliminary Questions:

*What are the motives of the financial backers, the consortium members, or the foreign private college for wanting to associate with a U.S. online college to offer online degrees?

*What’s in it for them? Why don’t they simply open up a private institution, and then develop a program with a university to accept transfer credit after their courses are evaluated by ACE or another independent third party?

*How do the consortium members propose to offer the instruction? Who will collect the tuition? What are the terms of doing business?

*Given that a degree in a non-English language will not help achieve the goals of leading to high-paid employment by a multinational corporation, because competence in written and spoken English is usually a key requisite of employment, what are the advantages of such a program of study?

*Who will be teaching the courses? It is no secret that university instructors in developing nations can be very underpaid by American standards. This results in several situations: a) teaching is a hobby or an avocation, engaged in at night; b) pay is supplemented by “tutoring” (or pay-offs) for grades.

Worst Case Scenarios:

Nightmare #1: Rogue branch campus appears in the hinterland in some country. An enterprising entrepreneur has hung out a tattered “Your (fill in the blank) University” banner and is now open for business. They are banking on the relationship with the U.S. university, but are doing things that are completely outside the scope of the business arrangement. This goes on for months before anyone knows about it back in the U.S. By that time, the damage is already done, and lawsuits role in.

Nightmare #2: The quality of the non-English language courses do not meet minimum academic standards, and instruction is by individuals who do not have sufficient training in facilitating online instruction.

Nightmare #3: The curriculum in the other languages is co-opted by a political agenda, and becomes viewed by the national government as being a minion of “the opposition.”

Nightmare #4: Extreme culture clashes occur between instructors and students from widely varying cultures and cultural background.

Nightmare #5: The national-language courses are taught by national professors. Their wages tend to be much lower, and the entrepreneur contracts them to teach for what is a ridiculously low wage by American standards. The English-speaking professors then approach the U.S. institution and demand wage parity, or offer to undercut the U.S. professors and teach for half-price.

Still Interested? Here are Possible Configurations for Success:

Curriculum Issues:
*Curriculum must be centrally developed by the U.S. institution.
*Curriculum review must be centrally administered.
*Courses must use the same texts, regardless of the delivery mode, or the language of instruction. The major textbook publishers have multilingual versions, and humanities courses (esp. literature) have texts available in multiple languages.
*Tests should avoid cultural constructions, and elements that make them ethnocentric.
*Instruction reviews and oversight should be firmly in place.
*Instructors should have in-depth training, and be required to successfully an online orientation course.
*Grading rubrics must be firmly defined an in place.
*Avoid giving a degree in a language other than the dominant language for the base institution. Start with a certificate program.

Administration and support:
*The private branch university is a point of contact, but all information must flow from the branch to the main university information repositories.
*The rights and responsibilities of the partner institution are very tightly controlled and clearly defined.
*Advising is centrally done at the home institution.
*Graduation checks are done at the central home.
*There is clear oversight of policies and procedures.
*Try to focus on transfer credits, rather than letting the partner institution claim that they are a joint institution.

Faculty:
*Appointments must be made by the home institution.
*Payments are done directly through and by the home institution. The branch institution does not subcontract or provide fee for service instructional services.
*Fees for services are for services clearly spelled out.
*Faculty contract directly with the home institution, even for courses taught in another language.

Tight Oversight of Student Credentials and Identities:
*All transcripts from foreign institutions must be reviewed by an independent third party.
*Identities need to be verified.
*Periodic checks to avoid fraud, misrepresentation, plagiarism, and corruption must be made.

It is not the intent of this article to discourage institutions from forging partnerships or joint ventures. In fact, the secret to future growth and success involves economy of scale, which necessitates creative partnering and associations. International relationships can be the key to successful cultural diversity, international relations, and opportunities.