University of Arkansas 'Global Campus’ Launches, Expands Reach of Top-Tier Educational Opportunity

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Not everyone who takes classes from the University of Arkansas is physically on the Fayetteville campus. Thanks to technology available through the School of Continuing Education and Academic Outreach students anywhere in Arkansas and around the globe have access to courses taught by world-class University of Arkansas faculty.

The demand and availability of these courses is steadily growing. From 2003 to 2006, the enrollment in distance-delivered credit courses at the school doubled. Currently, 22 fall degree programs are approved for distance delivery, with a total of 133 online course offerings scheduled for spring 2008.

“We are committed to taking higher education across Arkansas and around the world to help individuals and their regions address the economic and cultural imperatives of our 21^st century global community,” said Bob Smith, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.

In recognition of this commitment, the school is taking on a new identity: the University of Arkansas Global Campus.

“Global Campus is more descriptive of our vision, since our scope and reach is not limited to the physical boundaries of the Fayetteville campus,” added Linda Beene Ballard, dean and associate provost. “As we continue to rapidly expand our educational programming, we want everyone to be aware that a University of Arkansas education is within their reach. People who have not sought or completed a higher education degree because they are location-bound or challenged by family or career responsibilities now have viable educational opportunities.”

Those opportunities are made possible both online and through interactive video and satellite transmissions. The University of Arkansas is the hub of the Arkansas Research and Education Optical Network, a fiber-optic system that potentially enables faculty to share large amounts of data through the Internet. The school’s mobile television production resources, which include live video and satellite transmission, provide a powerful communication link from the University of Arkansas Global Campus to anywhere in the world.

“A growing number of students who couldn’t come to the Fayetteville campus for any number of reasons are now completing their undergraduate degrees and pursuing advanced degrees through the Global Campus,” said Ballard. “To this end, our instructional design specialists are working with university faculty and academic departments to develop even more flexible learning opportunities for the citizens of Arkansas and the world.”

Early partnerships with faculty and leaders of the College of Education and Health Professions have produced several degree programs approved for distance delivery, along with a number of courses. A new partnership with the Sam M. Walton College of Business for the Executive MBA program for business professionals in Shanghai emphasizes the reach of the Global Campus. This program paved the way for negotiations to deliver another degree program in China, as well as courses in Europe.

The Global Campus also offers programs for traditional University of Arkansas students. Through the Office of Study Abroad and International Exchange students may earn credit through instructor-led study abroad trips or formal exchange programs. Approximately 20 percent of University of Arkansas undergraduates enroll in credit courses that are taught in another country. Efforts also are under way to design an international certificate to be offered by the Arkansas World Trade Center, based at Rogers, Ark.

The term University of Arkansas Global Campus will not replace the school’s formal name — the School of Continuing Education and Academic Outreach — but will be used in all future communications and marketing for the school.