Florida colleges setting up campuses in China

The Miami Herald reports:

In a busy corner of Beijing, three Chinese University of Florida employees have been setting up an office, preparing to award forensic science degrees to Chinese students within a few years.

But the UF students who earn the degrees may never see a Gainesville swamp or know the joy of a slice of Leonardo's pizza.

Seventy miles away from Beijing, Chinese government workers are building the 20th floor of a tower that will house a hospitality campus for Florida International University, with classes taught in English by FIU-trained professors.

Even Florida Gulf Coast University -- a Fort Myers school less than a decade old -- signed an agreement in September to offer joint business degrees with Nankai University.

At this rate, Chinese students may someday have as many Florida universities to choose from as Floridians do. And they won't have to leave China to become Gators or Golden Panthers. China-fever, which began in such major universities as Johns Hopkins and Michigan, has filtered to schools in Florida.

'They asked Willie Sutton, why did he rob banks. He said `That's where the money is.' The 21st century is the Asian century,'' said Jerry Haar, professor of international business at FIU.

The big business of college.