Aberystwyth University to open in Mauritius this year

Aberystwyth University in Wales is the latest institution to announce plans to open a campus in Mauritius. It expects to launch four undergraduate degrees and one masters programme in September, and to locate in a new residential campus near the capital Port Louis next year.

Working with Mauritius-based Boston Campus Limited, a modern branch campus for up to 2,000 students will be developed at Quartier Militaire, 12 kilometres from the capital Port Louis, in time for the 2015 academic year.

Meanwhile, Aberystwyth Vice-chancellor April McMahon announced at a Mauritius International Knowledge Investment Forum 2014 held in London last month, the branch campus will operate from Boston Campus premises in Ebene CyberCity, south of the capital.

The forum, organised annually by the Mauritius Board of Investment, provides a platform for sharing knowledge and building partnerships between local and international players.

Aberystwyth will be the second British university to set up a full branch campus in Mauritius. Middlesex University opened one in 2010.

McMahon said the decision to open on the tropical Indian Ocean island was in line with the Welsh university's strategic aims and "offers an excellent example of how we can enable those who value the quality of a UK degree to study at a regional hub or partner institution in a way that is affordable and accessible to them."

Aberystwyth's programmes at the Mauritius campus - initially a masters in international business and bachelor degrees in accounting and finance, business finance, business management, and management with law - are subject to approval of the home university's senate and accreditation by the Mauritius Tertiary Education Commission.

They are all offered at the home campus and, McMahon told the forum, would be subject to the same quality assurance processes and would lead to Aberystwyth University degrees.

The Welsh research university's academics and administrative staff would spend time working at the Mauritius campus, and staff in Mauritius would be encouraged to spend time at the home university, Aberystwyth said in a statement. Students would be able to transfer to Aberystwyth from Mauritius.

"Mauritius lies at the cross-road between the African and Asian continents and is ideally positioned to attract international students who wish to pursue a high quality university education but might not be in a position to travel to the UK," McMahon told the forum.

"It also enjoys political stability and provides a safe environment for international students."