Impact of International Branch Campuses on Science Diplomacy

Nearly 200 international branch campuses (IBCs) are now located across every inhabitable continent. This increased global presence has transformed some institutions of higher education into major international actors. It is also forging new (and sometimes atypical, e.g., South-South, university – government) relationships which are influencing educational and technological policy in host countries. IBCs also serve as cultural embassies for the exporting nations, expanding internet access, fostering freedom of speech, and offering another mechanism for knowledge spillover. Such foreign outposts may strengthen relationships between home and host nations and even bolster a host nation’s science diplomacy.