QUESTION

Overview

For this assignment, you are required to write a formal report based on the scenario given in Exercise 9.16 of your textbook.

Your Task: Additional Information

Use the knowledge gained in this course and Business Communications 1 to write a report that will be shared with the board of directors of your educational institution. The report needs to be formally written and identify the nature of the institution’s challenge (elaborate on the challenge described in Exercise 9.16, including causes and consequences). Using course materials AND at least 2 academic research sources, describe and discuss potential solutions for this problem, and then recommend a solution or solutions that might work best in the situation and why.

Report

Follow the guidelines for formal reports as outlined in your textbook and this week’s lesson. Stay within 1500 – 1800 words. Include at least two supporting visuals.

Submission

Submit your report in rich text format (.rtf) via the LEARN Dropbox. Include in your file name the course code, assignment name, and your name (e.g. COMM2000_Assignment4_JSmith.rtf).

Evaluation

Your instructor will use the attached marking rubric to evaluate your report. Review this marking rubric closely. Note that two marks will be deducted from your final score (out of 20) if your report does not contain 1500 to 2000 words.

 

ANSWER

 

 

FORMAL REPORT: SELECTING A LOCATION FOR A SATELLITE CAMPUS

Executive summary

This report sheds light on the importance of selecting authentic location to establish satellite campus of University of Waterloo in order to provide facilities to the students. As per the criteria of the authority of this institution, the process of selecting proper location within affordable price has been presented in this report. Based on the challenges faced by this institution regarding lack of capacity or seats for increased number of students, this report has analyzed possible solutions for this university. In respect to recommending best possible way to establish satellite campus of this university, this report has supported establishment of satellite campus which can help the students for distance education in international context. This report has suggested the ways to select the location for satellite campus within affordable price which can help to reduce financial risk factors for the institutions. Moreover, along with the process to implement electronic learning system, the process of selecting location along with the facilities of transportation system has been recommended in this report.   

Introduction

Since the turn of century and last few decades there has been a rapid growth in both number of universities and number of students. Transactional education can be considered as the basic example of educational trade in international context. In order to enhance the growth of educational institution and to reduce the extreme pressure of the authority regarding increasing number of students it is essential to focus on satellite campus. The importance of international branch campuses can help the institution to overcome risks of potential financial loss and help to enhance educational facilities. This formal report has focused on the discussion regarding the challenges faced by University of Waterloo along with the analysis of important solutions of these. Moreover, some recommendations for the board of directors of this university have been presented in this formal report related to facilities of satellite campus.

Findings

Identifying the nature of the challenges of this institution

University of Waterloo has been experiencing unprecedented growth in recent days. All the aspects supported towards facilities to the students of this university provide both academic and personal services (UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO, 2019). The process of enrolling students has been up since last five years; moreover, research as well as donation money has enhanced the pressure to the authority of this institution. The number of international students has becoming an issue in addition with these. Lack of capacity in relation to provide services to the international students based on sufficient space in the main campus of University of Waterloo can be considered as one of the basic challenges. Moreover, in order to cope with the increased numbers of students and success, this university has faced difficult consequences for insufficient staffs at the university. Though University of Waterloo has been considered as most innovative university for 23rd straight year in magazine of Maclean, it has to focus on more innovative system to mitigate the recent issue (Bellemare, 2014). Among all other countries Canada is notable due to pro immigration stance. In educational field, the inflow of immigrants is basic factor to drive increased population from 36.3 million to 51 million (WENR, 2019). (Refer to Appendix)

Analysis

Analyzing the importance of the way outs to recover these challenges

The board of directors of this university has planned to solve the challenges related to lack of capacity and lack of seats by planning a small satellite campus in an outlying area of the city. It is essential to focus on identification of proper location to establish satellite campus in order to provide more facilities to the students. In the initial stage of planning, the board of directors of University of Waterloo has to set the basic criteria regarding formation of branch campus of this university. It is important for the authority to pay attention to the price of land which can help to support the solution of financial problem of the university. As per the views of McBurnie (2015, p.26), traditional education system can involve a traditional bricks and mortar presence along with library which can be able to support the facilities, face to face teaching. The size of the location has to be selected by the authority of the organization as per the requirements of the students. The authority has to choose such a place or location for satellite campus not at a high price, however, it is important to select the location based on easy transportation facilities.

In addition to these factors, if University of Waterloo plans for establishing branch campus or satellite campus, the location needs to be nearer from the main campus. The decision to form branch campus to the nearer part can impact positively on the success of business as it can help to maintain proper communication between main campus and branch campus of University of Waterloo. According to Wilkins (2017, p.1386), traditionally, internationalization of higher education can involve the mobility of the students, with some of the students who are moving from less to more developed or enriched nations.

Figure 1: Criteria to select location for Satellite campus

(Source: Wilkins, 2016, p.179)

Apart from these factors in relation to the selection of the location for satellite campus of University of Waterloo, collecting data related to the process of location selection is important. The authority has to appoint some professional experts or advisors who can help to suggest proper location along with all the facilities and criteria of the authority. It is essential to focus on large population based area as it can be able to help to maintain well communication and can introduce facilities to a large number of people or students. Based on the views of Wilkins and Huisman (2015, p.1270), international branch campuses are considered as natural evolution based on assorted partnerships, joint degree programs. The facilities related to well transport communication and transportation can attract more students to be associated with this organization. Moreover, the board of directors of this institution has to invest money and time to research on some secondary sources to acquire data on the selected criteria to find the location.

Recommendation

Recommending best ways of solutions to overcome the challenges

In order to suggest the authority of University of Waterloo regarding establishment of satellite campus, it can be mentioned that enhancement to the facilities for the students can influence the success of branch campus. Influenced from the views of Wilkins (2016, p.178), as per the requirements of some students in relation to getting admission to far distant universities, the authority of University of Waterloo can increase higher education enrollment by the students who are nontraditional. Lack of capacity as well as communication among the students and between authority and the students can be resolved by forming satellite campus and introducing electronic communication technology. As per the views of Kinser and Lane (2015, p.112), implementing this innovative ways of using this technology can help to facilitate the operation of branch campus.

Based on the facilities regarding branch campus, classes taught at the main campus can be transmitted to the other location through distance education and use of innovative technologies. Proper location for satellite campus in the center of the city can facilitate not only the students to communicate with but also the authority to provide services by splitting students in small groups. Based on the views of Cai and Hall (2016, p.220), the facilities and accessibility of transport system can be assumed as main driver for urbanization. In the developed countries like Canada, it has been observed that the importance of education and the preference of choosing location of educational institution lie in urbanized cities.

It is essential for the institution to choose a location to the outlying area which can have the proximity to other institutions. Moreover, the process of selecting area by focusing on the easier route of transportation can impact positively to the services of the organization. Influenced from the views of Kinser and Lane (2015, p.111), it should be the basic criteria for the authority of University of Waterloo to select such a location which is nearer to bus stop or the station area. Cost of transportation and the facilities of using transport vehicles within short period of time can not only attract the students but also the authority to operate official purposes. The facilities for the long distant students and the international students, who are willing to be associated with Canadian universities, can be facilitated by the benefits of satellite campus of University of Waterloo.

Proximity of the facilities based on the large population area; outlying the city can encourage more students to acquire learning facilities. Moreover, it can help the authority to operate the educational business and the educational process successfully. Based on the views of Shams and Huisman (2016, p.960), it can be suggested that research on contemporary data related to other universities or educational institutions regarding selection process of location to establish satellite campus can help to make proper decision. Moreover, it is important to find out such location along with all the facilities for both the authority and the students within affordable price which can fix financial risk of this educational institution.

Conclusion

The movement of the official purposes of an institution along with the facilities for the students to another location can help to develop the aspects of educational purposes. It has been evaluated that University of Waterloo has faced some problems regarding increased number of students and pressure from other official purposes. Based on these factors, these may cause harm to the development of educational services of this university to the students. Moreover, it has been identified that the authority of this organization has to focus on some criteria to establish satellite campus for this institution. The facilities for the students who are willing to be associated with distance learning and who have some other problems to be admitted in main campus can be facilitated by this branch campus. The system regarding use of electronic communication system to make relation between the class study of both main and branch campus has been presented. In can be concluded that selecting proper location in urbanized, large population based area along with transportation facilities can influence positive on the university.

Reference list

Bellemare, A., (2014) 10 influential people who went to the University of Waterloo. CBC NEWS. [Online] Available at: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/10-influential-people-who-went-to-the-university-of-waterloo-1.2819597 [Accessed 8/01/2019]

Cai, L. and Hall, C., (2016). Motivations, expectations, and experiences of expatriate academic staff on an international branch campus in China. Journal of Studies in International Education, 20(3), pp.207-222.

Kinser, K. and Lane, J., (2015). Foreign outposts of colleges and universities. International Higher Education, (66). pp. 95-113

McBurnie, G., (2015). International Branch Campuses: Australian Case Studies. International Higher Education, (29), pp. 20-80

Shams, F. and Huisman, J., (2016). The role of institutional dual embeddedness in the strategic local adaptation of international branch campuses: Evidence from Malaysia and Singapore. Studies in Higher Education, 41(6), pp.955-970.

UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO (2019) STUDENT SUCCESS OFFICE. Available at: https://uwaterloo.ca/student-success/ [Accessed 8/01/2019]

WENR (2019) Education in Canada. World Education News + Reviews. Available at: https://wenr.wes.org/2017/09/education-in-canada [Accessed 8/01/2019]

Wilkins, S. and Huisman, J., (2015). Factors affecting university image formation among prospective higher education students: The case of international branch campuses. Studies in Higher Education, 40(7), pp.1256-1272.

Wilkins, S., (2016). Establishing international branch campuses: a framework for assessing opportunities and risks. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 38(2), pp.167-182.

Wilkins, S., (2017). Ethical issues in transnational higher education: the case of international branch campuses. Studies in Higher Education, 42(8), pp.1385-1400.

Appendix

Educational position of Canada

(Source: https://www.google.co.in/search?q=RATE+OF+CANADIAN+UNIVERSITY+BRANCH+CAMPUS&client=opera&hs=UXt&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjGtpuOkOXfAhWKvbwKHc3sA0cQ_AUIECgD&biw=1240&bih=659#imgrc=aWthtD4D-xPMzM:)

 

 

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