Resolution in Support of Rutgers Joint Venture Campus in China

Date

Whereas Rutgers University is seeking to extend its global reach to become one of the world's top public research universities, and

Whereas Rutgers seeks to maximize the goals of academic excellence, access, and diversity by attracting the most able students from around the world, and

Whereas Rutgers has a narrow window of opportunity to take advantage of a generous philanthropic gift from Mission Hills Corporation to supply the land, construct a state-of-the-art campus, and provide the start-up operational funding to create a campus on Hainan Island in China, and

Whereas Rutgers has a trusted partner for the project in the South China University of Technology (SCUT), a top-30 university in China, with which it is already offering dual degrees, and

Whereas we believe that creating a new joint venture campus in China would have the following benefits for Rutgers:

  • Enhancing our global brand and impact
  • Providing a permanent presence in what is the world's most populous country and soon to be the world's largest economy, in a location that is ideal for attracting students from across South Asia
  • Deepening joint programs and research partnerships with SCUT
  • Providing enhanced opportunities in China to Rutgers US students
  • Eventually generating a surplus that can support scholarships, joint research projects and travel to China for RU students and faculty
  • Building a stable pipeline of top quality, fee-paying students (undergraduate/graduate) to Rutgers with strong English skills and familiarity with American university culture.

Therefore be it resolved that the Faculty Council supports in principle the submission of a proposal to the Chinese Ministry of Education to create a joint venture Rutgers campus with SCUT near the city of Haikou on Hainan Island in China, provided that careful planning and due diligence have been completed about the financial model for the proposed campus; and

Be it further resolved that the Faculty Council looks forward to working closely with the Administration to develop an innovative academic plan for the campus that insures it meets the highest educational standards, preserves academic freedom, and enhances rather than competes for the resources available for the New Brunswick campus.