Webster University's troubles in Thailand

Webster University claims to have a global reach through a variety of programs around the world but the one in Thailand is faltering. This extensive article covers numerous examples of how Webster's Thailand campus is falling short of the promise to deliver comparable educational experiences to those of its home campus in Missouri. One of the areas that has suffered during budget reductions is support to student services, risking not only the quality of the educational experience but safety as well. One of the concerns raised in the article is that those making decisions about the branch campus may not even understand what is involved in a serious academic institution, perhaps due to not having experienced it themselves in their higher education background.

A follow-up article published by Inside Higher Education and referencing an internal review of the Webster campus in Thailand identified a number of short-comings. Most notable was the deficit in student services/affairs.

While Webster University's case brings the question of offering student services/affairs into the spotlight, many of those who advocate student services/affairs in international settings struggle to articulate their value. The reason the case is hard to make is that most of the research on student learning and development, even simple retention, comes out of North America; this results in potential questions of the applicability of the research findings. In addition, student affairs has long been perceived as secondary to the core functions of higher education institutions in North America and elsewhere. Those in North America and around the world who are committed to improving conditions for student learning and development have a shared credibility challenge, although the dynamics may be very different in various national/cultural contexts.