Dear Global Colleagues,

On behalf of The Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, it is my pleasure to welcome you to our organisation and the world of borderless higher education. Whether you are a current or new subscriber, or a potential one exploring our unique services, products and networks, we hope you will enjoy your visit and find our website useful for meeting your needs. We look forward to your continued participation with The Observatory.

What is The Observatory on Borderless Higher Education? What does it do? Who does it serve? What is its primary purpose? What is its primary benefit for subscribers?

The Observatory is a global strategic services organisation that conducts state-of-the-art research and disseminates breaking news, emerging trends, best practices, policy frameworks, and assessment and quality assurance information relevant to cross-border higher education programme delivery across the globe.

By engaging with The Observatory you will read transnational higher education perspectives from university leaders, corporate executives, government ministers, faculty, students, and other stakeholders in a global information economy where higher education is becoming a valued service and tradable commodity amongst nations.

By subscribing to The Observatory you will learn about branch campus models in countries such as China, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates, international student mobility trends in nations including the U.S., the UK, Germany, France and Australia, quality assurance standards in international distance learning programmes, and the latest trends in international distance learning. You will learn about the latest educational transformations in South Africa, India, Mexico, Vietnam and Brazil; new public-private partnerships in transnational higher education and emerging regulatory frameworks governing borderless higher education. And along the way you will develop an expanding network of colleagues and friends from across the globe.

The Observatory is not a think tank. In fact, we provide a number of other services ranging from customised seminars and conferences to consultancies, conference speaking, and building strategic global partnerships. At the end of the day, The Observatory’s primary purpose is to provide strategic research, data, and information for institutional/organisational leaders and policy-makers to make informed decisions relevant to their current and future transnational higher education initiatives.

And what are the most important value and benefits you receive from The Observatory? You will have high quality research and networks at your fingertips that will provide you and your organisation with the navigational charts necessary to explore the unchartered waters of borderless higher education. We will help you embark upon your voyage with the strategic information and strategies you will need to be successful in the global marketplace.

We wish you a successful journey and look forward to welcoming you to The Observatory.

Sincerely,

Dr Don Olcott, Jr., Ed.D., FRSA

Dr. Olcott previously held senior leadership posts at Western Oregon University, VCampus Corporation, the University of Arizona and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). He also held administrative and faculty posts with Oregon State University, the University of Missouri-Columbia, and Western Washington University.