August 27, 2008

University in India Takes Steps to Set Up Shop in the United States

While many American universities are eagerly eyeing India and other parts of Asia as potential markets for new students, one India-based institution has set its sights on the United States.

The institution, Vinayaka Missions America University Inc., has just bought the former headquarters of an energy company in western Maryland for $8.5-million and says it plans to begin operations as early as this fall by offering noncredit courses.

Eventually, according to the Herald-Mail, a local newspaper, leaders of the 27-year-old institution said they hoped to offer degree programs, including some in nursing.

The university, which carries approval from the Indian government, according to its Web site, celebrated its purchase of the Allegheny Energy Company’s former headquarters building and 45 acres of land on Tuesday at a news conference, where leaders of the institution offered traditional Indian-print shawls to local officials.

University officials said that the institution now operated 27 educational institutions with 20,000 full-time students and 40,000 distance-education students. —Goldie Blumenstyk

Comments

1. 60,000 divided by 27 = 2,222 students per institution. Methinks the Indian gummint is providing more than a little subsidy for each student.

   — Al    Aug 27, 04:15 PM    #

2. This suggests that many U.S. universities are failing to address the learning needs of significant segments of the population. At my own university (public, research), talk of accommodating older students and/or those who can not attend full-time are met with scorn.

   — James Kline    Aug 28, 09:29 AM    #

3. This venture reminds me of how other countries recognized the “broken” U.S.healthcare system some 15+ years ago.The U.S. healthcare system felt infallible and the best in the word. No longer is this true; instead, one can recieve a facelift in India, heart surgery in Bankok, all much less expensive and with excellent results. Why should we be surprised that India is moving to the U.S to offer higher education? For me,they may be the new formidable competition in higher ed coming to a town near you.

   — Jeff    Aug 28, 10:31 AM    #

4. Times are changing and it is no surprise even for Americans that emerging leaders in technology and higher education set up base in US. Majority of Americans have recognized that the American healthcare and education systems are collapsing because of the economic changes and fundamental shift in attitudes. Institutions and Scholars from countries like India have a major role to play in the future to correct the American system as in IT. I understand that a number of scholars from India lead in areas such as technology, medicine, business and cutting edge technology such as Medical Simulation and Biomedical sciences. If their talent can be tapped these institutions can bring in a change which is warranted at this time.

   — Bob    Aug 28, 12:25 PM    #

5. #3 said: “This suggests that many U.S. universities are failing to address the learning needs of significant segments of the population.” I disagree. No one has shown that we are failing to serve any segment that this instituion can serve better – but their presence does indicate that they think there is a business opportunity. That’s all – a suspected opportunity. They may be right or wrong, and they may be gone in 2 or 3 years.

   — Al    Aug 28, 04:22 PM    #

6. Living near Hagerstown, I am hopeful there will be more Indian restaurants….

   Bur seriously, folks, the Hagerstown area is served by Hagerstown Community College, a University of Maryland System campus, and Shepherd University in WV. There is also a Kaplan campus in Hagerstown, and Frostburg University (U of MD system, is not far away).

   Meanwhile, in Fulton County PA, just across the state line from Washington County, MD, we have NO institution of higher education at all!

   I wish the folks from India had talked with me about this. They could have bought our old medical center building and a couple of other nearby buildings in McConnellsburg, PA, for a fraction of what they paid a few miles away and could have entered an unoccupied niche.

   And, hopefully, also set up a restaurant….

   — Joe Erwin    Aug 29, 11:07 AM    #

7. This should be interesting.

   Vinayaka will have to go through many government agencies to get approval to operate here. For example, the Maryland Higher Education Commission will make a determination on whether there is a need for the new university and they’ve had a history of considering geographic concentration. In Hagerstown CC and Kaplan College, there are already two nursing programs at the LPN and RN levels, plus bachelor and master level programs at the USM campus. Hard to imagine that MHEC will let Vinayaka start up yet another one.

   Mr. Erwin is right, they should have gone further north!

   — James Feagin    Aug 29, 04:39 PM    #

8. We trained all of the east, now they are training us. So much for the world leader in education.

   — mlm    Aug 31, 12:08 PM    #

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