FIU Online recently sent team members into China to explore opportunities to establish a presence for online education in the region. The FIUBeyondPossible2020 strategic plan – initiated by FIU’s President Mark Rosenberg – calls for a steep increase in both online and hybrid enrollment. One of the ways FIU Online plans to increase enrollment is with the expansion of our outreach and recruitment programs into previously untapped markets. While China already has a robust foreign education culture, there is a noticeable absence of fully online degree programs. FIU Online wants to increase awareness about successful online education and degrees on a global scale, including regions like China.
The opportunities for growth in China are enticing. FIU Online currently offers several degree programs which pique interests within the Chinese population:
- MS in Computer Engineering: Network Security
- Master of International Business
- Executive MS in Hospitality Management
- MS in Hospitality Management
- Healthcare MBA
- BA in Psychology (This subject isn’t offered domestically in China)
- BS in Hospitality Management
- BS in Health Services Administration
There is a lot of interest from the Chinese population in online education, particularly for degrees from Western institutions. Even with that being the case, fully online education has yet to be embraced by the Chinese professional and higher educational culture. They grapple with the idea of working on a foreign degree without having a foreign experience. That foreign experience (i.e. exposure to Western culture and business practices) is one of the most valued aspects for Chinese students seeking a higher education degree. Overcoming this hesitation is absolutely necessary in order to establish successful online degree programs geared towards Chinese students.
Despite these misgivings surrounding online education, the interest is definitely rising. FIU Online team members went to Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing. They attended several university fairs and made contact with students, explaining the nature of online education and FIU’s fully online degree programs. Our team also met with multiple local companies and universities learning the best ways to promote online degrees to professionals in Hong Kong and mainland China.
FIU Online wants to transform the global perception of fully online education and degree programs. We believe that our degrees would offer valuable opportunities to the students and professionals in China. By establishing and expanding effective outreach through local Chinese organizations, FIU Online aims to help the global community and increase FIU’s total enrollment at the same time.