Latitudes: The closure of an overseas campus raises fresh concerns about the future of international ed

Plus, a shifting picture for scholarly mobility, and top Fulbright producers announced. ADVERTISEMENT [Latitudes Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. Texas A&M board votes to close Middle East campus The Board of Regents of Texas A&M University has voted to shut down its 20-year-old campus in Qatar, a move that surprised even the university’s Middle Eastern partner. The abrupt announcement of the closure of the overseas branch of the system’s flagship campus, in College Station, is yet another sign of the political microscope that higher education’s international ties are under. In a [written statement]( Bill Mahomes, the board’s chairman, said that the “core mission of Texas A&M should be advanced primarily within Texas and the United States” and that the university did not “necessarily need a campus infrastructure 8,000 miles away to support education and research collaborations.” The statement said that the board had begun reassessing the university’s physical presence in the Middle East last fall because of instability over the Israel-Hamas war. A spokesman for the university system declined to respond to Chronicle questions about the review process or other elements of the board’s decision. The 7-to-1 vote happened after the board met in executive session but without public discussion. Francisco J. Marmolejo, president of the higher-education arm of the Qatar Foundation, the campus’s Middle Eastern sponsor, said there had been no prior conversation between the foundation and the university system about winding down the partnership. “It was decided unilaterally by the board,” Marmolejo said in an interview, noting that a new 10-year contract had been signed just two years ago. The Qatar campus, which awards degrees in engineering, has been a particular lightning rod. A [controversial 2021 reorganization]( undercut its liberal-arts and sciences instruction, and caused an [uproar]( among faculty members in both Doha and College Station. More recently, the Qatar Foundation and Texas A&M’s president, Mark A. Welsh III, have had to [deny accusations]( that Qatar was underwriting weapons research on the campus. In a [statement]( the Qatar Foundation blamed the allegations for the closure decision. “It is deeply disappointing that a globally respected academic institution like Texas A&M University has fallen victim to such a campaign,” the statement said. Although Texas A&M-Qatar is one of just a handful of prominent overseas branch campuses of American colleges — another, [Yale-NUS College]( the liberal-arts college started by Yale University and the National University of Singapore, announced in 2021 that it would close — the decision nonetheless offers broader, and disquieting, lessons for international education. For one, it underscores the political tightrope college leaders have had to walk since the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel. The leaders have been criticized by many, including alumni and politicians, for not doing enough to combat antisemitism on campus, while protesters have called on colleges to boycott academic ties with Israel because of its treatment of the Palestinians. In the current environment, deep institutional engagement in the Middle East, and particularly in Qatar, which has been accused of supporting Hamas, may be a no-go, said Kevin Kinser, head of education-policy studies at Pennsylvania State University and an expert on international branch campuses. “Sensitive,” he said, “may be too anodyne a phrase.” Kinser speculated that the regents, all of whom were appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, a Republican, may have taken action rather than wait for the university’s presence in Qatar to draw legislative scrutiny. He noted that public officials have increasingly disapproved of how colleges are run and have tried to limit [diversity, equity, and inclusion programming]( and to mandate what can, and cannot, be taught in classrooms. While higher ed as a whole has been caught in a partisan maelstrom, colleges’ international activities have themselves come under criticism. There have been investigations of [foreign research ties]( demands for greater transparency of funding from overseas sources, and calls to [revoke the visas]( of student protesters. States too are getting into the act — a new Florida law could bar public colleges from [hiring graduate students]( from “countries of concern” as teaching and research assistants, and could lead to the closure of overseas degree programs. It could become more difficult for colleges to strike international partnerships, especially in countries that are “not seen as being part of the home team,” Kinser said, including [China, Russia]( and even Qatar. Politics aside, there is also no longer a [consensus about the benefits of international engagement]( as there was a decade ago, Kinser said. “We used to be able to assert that international partnerships were an unquestioned good. We’re not in that era anymore.” As for Texas A&M-Qatar, the closure will take place gradually, over four years, so as not to disrupt the educational experience of current students. It’s too early to say what the next steps will be, Marmolejo said. Qatar recruited Texas A&M and a half-dozen other prominent foreign universities to Education City, its higher-education hub, to expand its educational and research capacity, and Marmolejo said he is regularly contacted by overseas institutions interested in partnerships with Qatar. One of those colleges could take Texas A&M’s place, but Qatar has also expanded its engineering curriculum at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, a national institution, and might offer engineering education without an international partner. “We are sorry that Texas A&M will not be part of our future, but we are looking forward to the horizon,” Marmolejo said. “We are ready to move on.” ADVERTISEMENT NEWSLETTER [Sign Up for the Teaching Newsletter]( Find insights to improve teaching and learning across your campus. Delivered on Thursdays. To read this newsletter as soon as it sends, [sign up]( to receive it in your email inbox. The changing geography of scholarly mobility The number of foreign scholars at American colleges has increased from pandemic lows, but the rebound hasn’t been as robust as for international students. Nearly 102,400 international scholars came to American campuses in 2022-23, as visiting lecturers, researchers, and postdoctoral fellows, a growth of 13 percent over the previous year, according to the [Institute of International Education](. Still, international-scholar numbers are down by 25 percent from their prepandemic peak. In fact, the presence of foreign scholars on American campuses is roughly at 2007-8 levels. By comparison, [international-student enrollments]( have largely returned to prepandemic volumes. Covid chilled academic mobility. But the latest data suggest that other forces may be reshaping the geography of scholarly exchange. In particular, the number of scholars from China has plummeted by almost 60 percent, from a high of nearly 48,000 in 2018-19 to 19,600 in the most recent academic year. While China kept stringent travel restrictions in place longer than most other countries, geopolitical tensions and U.S.-government policies aimed at [increasing research security]( and safeguarding intellectual property may have weakened academic ties between the two countries. The Chinese government has also encouraged scholars overseas to return home. “The significant decline in the number of scholars from China over the past several years has contributed to the slower rebound in the overall number of scholars in the United States,” said Julie Baer, research and learning lead for the institute. India, meanwhile, is one of 10 leading countries in which the number of scholars in 2022-23 exceeded prepandemic levels. Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean saw particularly strong growth. The number of scholars from Nigeria increased 43 percent in a single year. China, however, remains the top country of origin for foreign scholars, followed by India and South Korea. Three out of four visiting scholars concentrated on research during their time on American campuses. And 78 percent were in science, engineering, or technology fields. FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [The Research Driven University - The Chronicle Store]( [The Research Driven University]( Research universities are the $90-billion heart of America’s R&D operation. [Order this report today]( to explore the scope of the American academic-research enterprise and how institutions can contribute to tomorrow’s revolutionary innovations. Top Fulbright producers named Some 170 colleges have been recognized as being the [top producers]( of American students or scholars for the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international-exchange program. Bowdoin College had the most participating students among baccalaureate institutions for the fourth year in a row, while 12 institutions were recognized as being leading producers of both students and scholars in 2023-24. What does it take to have high Fulbright participation? [These colleges shared some advice](. SPONSOR CONTENT | The University of Queensland [Addressing the Unmet Needs for People with Aphasia]( Connect with “Latitudes” at AIEA Like many of you, I’ll be at the Association of International Education Administrators conference next week in Washington, D.C. The annual meeting is a terrific opportunity to hear about the latest trends and developments in the field, so, please, send me your suggestions for panels and other events I shouldn’t miss. I also hope you’ll stop and say hi — I always appreciate your insights, tips, and feedback. I’ll be speaking at two sessions during the conference: - On Monday, February 19, at 2 p.m., I’ll be joining a group of panelists from around the world to talk about Affirmative Action: A Global Perspective. - On Tuesday, February 20, at 3:15 p.m., you can catch me, along with Darla Deardorff of AIEA and Harvey Charles from the University of Minnesota, discussing Anti-Racism in International Education. ADVERTISEMENT Around the globe Proposed legislation would require public colleges in Florida to report to federal immigration officials any student on an F-1 visa who “promotes” a [terrorist organization](. A dozen American institutions are starting a [new college network]( to advocate for Afghan women and girls, including providing greater educational opportunities. The Council of Graduate Schools has released a [set of principles]( for ethical internationalization and to better support foreign students and scholars. Temple University, which has a 40-year-old campus in Tokyo, will open a [new location]( in the Japanese city of Kyoto. Universities in the Netherlands will freeze new [English-language bachelor’s degrees]( and will limit recruitment at international-student fairs in order to reduce the number of foreign students. Poland’s new government has separated education and science into [two different ministries]( in order to put greater emphasis on scientific research. Russia and Iran are preparing to [recognize degrees]( granted by each other’s higher-education institutions. Academics in Hong Kong are concerned that a [proposed new security law]( could constrain research and international collaboration. A university in Singapore will impose a fee on [visitors]( because of concerns that an influx of tourists on campus is disrupting student life. Students at a Kenyan university located near a national park protested after one of their classmates was [attacked]( by a hyena. The student was injured in the attack but survived. Congratulations to the 2024 winners of the [Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization]( the Alamo Colleges District, Auburn University, Oklahoma State University, Prairie View A&M University, Syracuse University, the University of California at Santa Cruz, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Thanks for reading. I always welcome your feedback and ideas for future reporting, so drop me a line at karin.fischer@chronicle.com. You can also connect with me on [X]( or [LinkedIn](. If you like this newsletter, please share it with colleagues and friends. They can [sign up here](. CAREER RESOURCES [Career Resources]( [Read the February collection]( to learn the secrets behind mastering the final stages of the interview process. You'll receive insights into giving teaching demos, job talks, guest lectures, and more! 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