It is no secret that over the last five years, the Board and leadership have explored a number of ways to ensure the good future of the University. The Batten Honors College, new master’s programs, VWU Online, and non-credit offerings through University College are but a few of the initiatives that have diversified our revenue streams and kept us in a strong position as trends in higher education have rapidly shifted.
Virginia Wesleyan University and Lakeland University of Plymouth, Wisconsin, have reached an exclusive agreement to jointly operate a campus in Tokyo with the name "Lakeland University Japan and Virginia Wesleyan University Global.” Higher education was experiencing many challenges before COVID-19. The notion of a traditional 18-year-old college student is one that we have to look beyond. Birth rates started declining during the recession in 2008 and we are approaching that cohort being of college age. When you combine that reality with the growing shift to online education, we must have a vision that embraces a broader student population and more diverse models of instruction.
The agreement partners Virginia Wesleyan with an institution that currently teaches 400 students from 30 countries in an English-speaking associate’s degree program. Lakeland University Japan (LUJ) is one of only two approved American universities in Japan and is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. During the transition period, both universities will complete requirements of accreditation and regulatory agencies, of the United States Embassy in Japan, and the Japanese Ministry of Education and Culture.
The venture will create a variety of opportunities for Virginia Wesleyan. Early on, VWU Global will bring graduates from the two-year program to earn their bachelor’s degree at the Virginia Beach campus. This will add an increased international presence to VWU’s student body, as the University welcomes students not only from Japan, but from around the world.
Bachelor’s programs will eventually be added at the Tokyo campus and the current curriculum and academic programming will be expanded to include certain baccalaureate and corporate training programs and English for academic programs.
Virginia Wesleyan students and faculty will also have the opportunity to travel to the Tokyo campus, which is located in Shinjuku, part of Tokyo’s central government and business district. The location, near the University District, will provide reasonably priced housing for exchange opportunities.
With train connections to all parts of Tokyo and Japan, students have easy access to a plethora of museums, cultural areas, and recreation opportunities. The partnership is entirely donor funded and will operate as a separately incorporated, financially self-sustaining operation. In its 30 years of operation, Lakeland University Japan has always had a balanced budget.
While this partnership with Lakeland University is new, it builds on my long-standing relationship with Dr. David Black, President of Lakeland University and Executive-in-Residence at Virginia Wesleyan since 2015. Dr. Black has played an instrumental role in a number of significant projects at VWU, including the establishment of the Batten Honors College.
LUJ and VWU Global will be a part of University College, which will be renamed Virginia Wesleyan University Global Campus.
Learn more: read the news release and view the Fireside Chat announcement.
