The Yale Daily News reports that, while other universities have cancelled plans to open satellite campuses in the United Arab Emirates because that country’s discriminatory laws would apply to the new campuses, Yale is going ahead anyway. An excerpt:
Other universities have been wary of dealing with the United Arab Emirates. The University of Connecticut’s plans to open a satellite campus in Dubai were set aside recently because of concerns about discrimination against Israeli citizens. [Deputy provost] Shailor said Yale is taking these concerns seriously, but that they have not stopped the University from moving forward with its talks with Abu Dhabi’s government. “There are lots of issues,” Shailor said. “Certainly if you think about our interactions with China or with India, one could express some more concerns across the board. So what one would do is to look at all of these concerns, see exactly to what extent they seem to be justified, and then to weigh the positive aspects of having a relationship and building a relationship with not having a relationship.” Shailor said she will probably be returning to Abu Dhabi within the next few weeks.
Yale’s initiative comes after its failed efforts to win a share of Saudi Prince Alwaleed’s largesse. Meanwhile, Yale administrators continue to wonder why their applications are in decline compared to other Ivy League schools.