Private university
Encyclopedia
Private universities are universities
not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grant
s. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are comparable to public universities
and national universities
. In fact, some of the world's most renowned universities, such as Princeton University
, Harvard University
, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, Stanford University
and Duke University
are private universities. While many prominent private universities are run by charitable or non-profit organization
s, a subset are commercial for-profit universities
which are run as business organizations.
there are a number of private universities, one of which is Igbinedion University
, located in Okada, a town in Benin, Edo state. The university is the first private university providing for the study of medicine.
The biggest private universities of Bangladesh include North South University
(NSU), Independent University, Bangladesh
(IUB), East West University
(EWU), American International University-Bangladesh
(AIUB), BRAC University
(BRACU), Asian University of Bangladesh
(AUB), America Bangladesh University
, Stamford University Bangladesh(SUB), Northern University Bangladesh (NUB), Darul Ihsan University
(DIU), Southern University Bangladesh, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh
(ULAB), BGC Trust University Bangladesh(BGCTUB), Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology
(AUST), Bangladesh University
(BU), International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC), Presidency University
(PU), Southeast University
(SEU), Shanto Mariam University of Creative Technology
(SMUCT),Queens University (QU), Daffodil International University
(DIU), United International University
(UIU), The University of Asia Pacific (UAP), World University of Bangladesh (WUB), IBAIS university
, Asian University for Women (AUW), tish Dipankar University of Science & Technology (ADUST). University of Information Technology & Sciences (UITS).
All private universities must be approved by University Grants Commission
(UGC) before they are given a permit to operate.
See External links for: Private Universities Act 1992
, and the earliest is Tunghai University
.
, privately funded institutions have existed since independence. Many of these universities offer multidisciplinary professional courses similar to state funded universities, however institutions offering single stream specialization programs are also in existence.
, there are 86 private universities in India. The oldest one is Sikkim Manipal University of Health Medical & Technological Science
, with Gazette Notification date of 11 October, 1995.
Amity University
in Noida
, Delhi is also highly regarded and popular for Law, Biotechnology, Engineering, and Management.
American University of Iraq
Al Turath University College
Al Mansour University College
Al Maarif University College
Al Hadbaa University College
Al Rasheed University College
Al Yarmouk University College
Baghdad College of Economic Sciences University
Baghdad College of Pharmacy
Business & Management University
Dijla University College
Humanitarian Studies University College
Islamic University College
Madenat Alelem University College
Mamon University College
Shat Al Arab University College
Sheikh Mohammed Al Kasinzan University College
Sheikh Tusi University College
The British Royal University
and 89 public universities. Private universities thus account for about 3/4 of all universities in Japan. Many, but not all, junior colleges in Japan are private. Like public and national universities, many private universities use National Center Test for University Admissions
as an entrance exam.
is one of the well-known private, coeducational comprehensive research university based in Malaysia.
Multimedia University (MMU) is the first private university in Malaysia. It is also the only private university in Malaysia that was ranked as among the top 200 Asian universities by QS in 2009. MMU is rated Tier 5 (Excellent) by The Malaysian Quality Agency Rating System for Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia.
and the Lebanese American University
. The languages of teaching in private universities are mainly French
and English
, while Arabic
is widely used in religious universities and Armenian
in the Armenia
n university. The first university opened in Lebanon was the Syrian Protestant College in 1866 (Became the American University of Beirut in 1921). It was founded by Daniel Bliss a Protestant missionary. The second university opened in Lebanon was the, Université Saint-Joseph, founded by the Jesuits in 1875.
The HEC is also playing a leading role towards building a knowledge-based economy in Pakistan by giving out hundreds of doctoral scholarships for education abroad every year.
In spite of the criticism of HEC, its creation has also had a positive impact on higher education in Pakistan. In their two year report for 2004 to 2006 it is mentioned that according to the Institute of Scientific Information, the total number of publications appearing in the 8,000 leading journals indexed in the web of Science arising out of Pakistan in 2005 was 1,259 articles, representing a 41% increase over the past two years and a 60% increase since the establishment of HEC in 2002. In addition the HEC digital library now provides access to over 20,000 leading research journals, covering about 75% of the world's peer reviewed scientific journals.
Until 1991, there were only two recognized private universities in Pakistan: Aga Khan University
established in 1983; and Lahore University of Management Sciences
established in 1985. By 1997, however, there were 10 private universities and in 2001-2002, this number had doubled to 20; among the first to gain degree awarding status was Hajvery University, Lahore
(HU), established in 1990. In 2003-2004 Pakistan had a total of 83 private degree granting institutions.
The HEC website also points to a 40% increase in enrollment in universities in Pakistan over the last two years, which it attributes to efforts on its part to encourage higher education in the country.
See External links for : Higher Education Commission
(UniSIM) is the first and only full-fledged private university in Singapore
. It is established in 2005 with the approval of Singapore's Ministry of Education (MOE) to award recognised Singapore degrees. Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents studying for their first degree in UniSIM are eligible for up to 55% fee subsidy from the Singapore Government. There are four degree-awarding schools in UniSIM, i.e. the School of Arts & Social Sciences, the School of Business, the School of Human Development & Social Services, and the School of Science & Technology. As of early 2011, the student enrollment stood at approximately 11,000.
there are no private universities, however there are several independent institutions that are non-government funded. These mostly provide undergraduate degrees with a limited few proving postgraduate degrees. The Informatics Institute of Sri Lanka (IIT) http://www.iit.ac.lk and Sri Lanka Institute for Information Technology (SLIT) http://www.sliit.lk are examples. A reasonable number of foreign Universities franchise some parts of their degree courses in Sri Lanka with local institutes. Students are charged for the study (some of these Universities are state funded institutions of their home countries) and these charges are often a fraction of the cost studying in the home countries of these institutions.
Efforts to establish Private Universities have been blocked due to protests from state universities' undergraduates and leftist political parties.
However Minister to High Education Mr.S.B.Dissanayaka has emphasized that 15 no's of foreign private Universities and Technical Institutes will be established in SriLanka immediatlely and he further mentioned that private education will bring foreign exchange to the Country. He stated these while he was addressing a gathering at Central Provience.
University, Quang Trung University, etc.), although there are exceptions, such as FPT University
named after the FPT Group
and Tan Tao University
in Tan Tao Group
. In Vietnam, there exists the "Semi-private university"; universities in this category can partly receive financial support from the government. Almost private universities have to invite professors and lecturers from the state universities. Many retired lecturers from state-owned universities take up positions in private universities after their retirement.
, educational institutions must be authorised by the country to legally grant academic degree
s. All state-run universities are governed by the 2002 Austrian Universities' and University Degree Programmes' Organisation Act (Federal Law Gazette No. 120/2002). In 1999, a federal law (Universitäts-Akkreditierungsgesetz) was passed to allow the accreditation of private universities. The Akkreditierungsrat (Accreditation Council) evaluates applicants and issues recommendations to the responsible Austrian accreditation authority (the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science & Research).
Accreditation by the council yields a couple of privileges: Academic grades
issued by accredited private universities have the same legal status as those issued by state-run universities. Private universities can appoint or promote professor
s. Their students enjoy the same privileges pertaining social security, foreigner law and state scholarships as students of the state universities. Private Educational services of private universities are not subject to value added tax
, and donations are tax deductible.
Accreditations must be renewed regularly and can be withdrawn, e.g. in the case of repeated academic misconduct as happened in 2003 where the accreditation of International University Vienna
, was withdrawn. In 2006, when the accreditation of IMADEC University
expired, the Accreditation Council rejected requests for renewal.
Austrian law provides that private universities in Austria must use the term Privatuniversität (literally, "private university") in their German
names, although their formal names in other languages, e.g. in English
, are not regulated. Thus, there is the possibility of private institutions employing the term "university" as opposed to "private university" in their advertisements in all languages except German while still complying with Austrian law.
While the legal definition of "private university" prohibits funding by the federal government of Austria, funding by other public bodies is not prohibited. Consequently, some of Austria's private universities are funded or partly funded by provincial governments, while others are fully private funded.
Accreditation of private universities started in 2001. Austria has 13 private universities. Most of them are small (fewer than 1000 students) and specialise in only one or two fields of study:
Three former private universities are not accredited any more:
has a number of private universities among which most renown are New Bulgarian University
, located in capital sity Sofia
, and Burgas Free University, Varna Free University and American University in Bulgaria
.
has 83 private universities (called Privathochschule) and 45 church-run universities (called kirchliche Hochschule). Similar to the state-run universities, they are subdivided into Universitäten, Fachhochschule
n (universities of applied science) and Kunst- und Musikhochschulen (art schools). Private universities in Germany need institutional accreditation by the state.
The first private university in Germany, The Ukrainian Free University was established 16 September 1950 in Munich. More recently Witten/Herdecke University
opened in 1982. Though private universities are numerous in Germany, they represent only less than 1% of all students. Some private universities, including Hanseatic University Rostock
(2007–2009) and the International University in Germany in Bruchsal
have gone out of business.
Most of the church universities are run by the Protestant or Catholic churches, however there is one Jewish university (Hochschule für Jüdische Studien) in Heidelberg
.
private universities are prohibited by the constitution
(Article 16). However, laboratories of liberal studies (Εργαστήρια ελευθέρων σπουδών, ergastiria eleftheron spoudon) operate freely in the country and based on a law from the 1930s they are registered as private for-profit businesses and regulated by the Greek Ministry of Commerce. Their academic degrees, which are not recognised in Greece, are directly provided to successful students by foreign universities in the United Kingdom
, United States of America, or other countries, usually through franchise
or validation agreements (the franchise agreement usually being considered better). This has limited access to the laboratories, which usually teach in English, to high-income Greeks who for various reasons (usually family matters) did not want to go abroad.
In 2008 the Nea Demokratia-led government of Greece voted a law that will force all laboratories of liberal studies to register with the Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs as college
s (κολλέγια, kollegia) by August 2009. It is expected that this will help to widen the participation of Greek students in private colleges, thus allowing the expertise and efficiency of the private educational sector to benefit the Greek students and society.
, a private university (more commonly known as a private college) is one that is not funded by the state, and therefore not covered by the free-fees initiative. All universities, Institutes of Technology
, Colleges of Education, as well as the National College of Ireland
and some religious institutions are publicly funded and therefore covered by free-fees initiative. There are few private colleges, and they are highly specialised, such as Griffith College Dublin
, Dorset College and Dublin Business School
. The major representative body for private colleges in Ireland is the Higher Education Colleges Association. Private colleges in Ireland can seek to have their programmes validated/accredited by the Higher Education and Training Awards Council
.
See external links for: free-fees initiative and Higher Education Colleges Association
at the graduate level. The university was founded in 1946. It serves as a graduate school
for business and management. Both programs are taught in English. Recently, Nyenrode merged with the Institute for CPA Education and both institutions share their facilities. The Nyenrode Business University also contains a campus and active student body.
Other Dutch private universities are universities of applied science (HBOs) where one can obtain a bachelor's. These include Business School Notenboom (founded in 1958) and IVA Driebergen for the automotive industry with its earliest beginnings in 1930.
private university (concordat
ory status) with branches in the cities of Lisbon
, Porto
, Braga
, Viseu
, and Caldas da Rainha
, was founded before the others, in 1967, and officially recognized in 1971. UCP offers some well-recognized degrees and is reputed for economics, law and business management degrees it awards at its Lisbon branch. Other degrees awarded by UCP, like biotechnology and dental medicine, amassed increasing success and popularity since the 2000s. After the Carnation Revolution
of 1974, in the 1980s and 1990s, a boom of educational private institutions was experienced in Portugal and many private universities started to open. Most private universities had a poor reputation and were known for making it easy for students to enter and also to get high grades. In 2007, several of those private universities or their heirs, were investigated and faced compulsory closing (for example, the infamous Independente University
and Internacional University
closings, and the Moderna University
scandal) or official criticism with recommendations that the state-managed investigation proposed for improving their quality and avoid termination. In the mid-2000s, within the Bologna process
, a reorganization of higher education was started which included more stringent regulations for private education and expanded state policies with regard to private education quality assurance and educational accreditation
. In general, the private higher education institutions were often considered the schools of last resort for underachieving applicants who didn't score enough points in the admission examinations to enter the main public institutions. Nearly open-admission policies have hurt private universities' reputation and the actual quality of their alumni. Without large endowments like those received, for example, by many US private universities and colleges which are attractive to the best scholars, researchers and students, the private higher education institutions of Portugal, with a few exceptions, do not have neither the financial support nor the academic profile to reach the highest teaching and research standards of the top Portuguese public universities. In addition, most private universities have faced a restrictive lack of collaboration with the major enterprises which, however, have developed fruitful relationships with many public higher education institutions. Most Portuguese private universities specialise in a limited number of fields, most often in the social sciences
and humanities
.
belong to the category of institutions with top rankings. Leman University Geneva
, founded in Geneva Switzerland, is the only Private University in Switzerland offering programs in Law (Bachelor, Masters and Ph.D.).
For a more complete listing, please consult the List of universities in Switzerland. EDUNIVERSAL Official Selection has four private Business Schools in its rankings:
is currently the only fully-fledged private university in the United Kingdom. In July 2010 it was announced that London-based BPP would be granted permission to become a university college. BPP University College
is now the UK's only private university college.
Other private degree awarding bodies in the UK include: Ashridge Business School
, ifs School of Finance, The College of Law
and Regent's College
, all of which are privately funded charitable bodies. In addition the private Richmond University has its degrees are validated by the public Open University
.
All other British universities are public. They have considerable institutional autonomy, but are currently funded mainly by government teaching and research grants and the government regulates their tuition fees, student funding and student loans and commissions and regulates research assessments and teaching reviews. However, unlike in Continental European countries, the British government does not own universities' assets, and university staff are not civil servants. Government regulation arises as a condition of accepting funding from bodies such as HEFCE
and any university can in principle choose to leave the HEFCE regulated system at any time.
In the UK, an institution can only use the title "University" or "University College" if it has been granted by the Privy Council, under the terms of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992
. Prior to 1992, these titles were conferred by Royal Charter.
Canadian University College
Concordia University College of Alberta
King's University College
St. Mary's University College
Trinity Western University
University Canada West
Fairleigh Dickinson University
(Vancouver Campus)
Crandall University
Lansbridge University
St. Stephen's University
University of Fredericton
Yorkville University
. The rest of the degree offering institutions in the country are Private. See the List of universities in Guatemala for a list of the Private Universities in the country.
s. Some of the most prestigious universities in the U.S. are actually private universities. Examples include Harvard University
, Stanford University
, Yale University
and Massachusetts Institute of Technology
.
While most liberal arts colleges
are likewise private, there are also some public liberal arts colleges
. Some private universities are closely affiliated with religious organizations (for example, the University of Notre Dame
) and some are directly operated by religious organizations (such as Brigham Young University
).
An emerging practice in the sector of private colleges and universities is for investors to procure struggling private non-profit colleges or universities in order to salvage or expand the institution. When investors are involved with the institution, it consequently changes the status of the institution from non-profit to for-profit; such as in the case of United States University
.
Proprietary colleges are also private though they are most often referred to as proprietary colleges to prevent confusion with non-profit private institutions.
Like government-operated institutions, private universities are eligible for educational accreditation
, but some private universities (primarily proprietary colleges) lack accreditation (see list of unaccredited institutions of higher learning), and their degrees are not formally recognized.
Legally, private universities may not discriminate, but generally have a somewhat free hand in setting admissions policies. For example, universities in the Ivy League
based their selections on many secondary factors other than academic performance, up through the beginning of the 20th century. Since the post WW2-era, however, following in the mold of James Bryant Conant
at Harvard
, most private universities have made enormous strides in becoming meritocratic
. The nation's private institutions now make broad efforts to recruit students from underprivileged backgrounds.
The U.S. system of education has also been transplanted to other countries. Private universities such as the American University in Cairo
and the American University of Afghanistan
typically offer a liberal arts curriculum to their students.
Tuition fees at private universities tend to be higher than at public universities though many private universities offer financial aid as well.
, Australia
's first private university, dates from 1987. It runs three semesters per year (correlating exactly with the Northern and Southern Hemispheres' schedules), which allows a student to complete a six semester degree in two years and an eight semester degree (e.g. Law) in under three years.
Since Bond University's foundation, the University of Notre Dame Australia
opened as a private university, in 1989. the two remain Australia's only private universities.
Melbourne University, a public university, owned a private university called Melbourne University Private
from 1998 to 2005. The private university was not successful, losing A$
20,000,000 over its lifetime.
http://www.commonlii.org/bd/legis/num_act/pua1992257/ Private Universities Act 1992 - Bangladesh
http://www.university-directory.eu/Pakistan/University-Grants-Commission-UGC.html Higher Education Commission - Pakistan
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third_level_education/fees_and_supports_for_third_level_education/fees.html free-fees initiative - Ireland
http://www.heca.ie/ Higher Education Colleges Association- Ireland
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grant
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
s. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are comparable to public universities
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
and national universities
National university
A national university is generally a university created or run by a government, but which at the same time operates autonomously without direct oversight or control by the state. Some national universities are closely associated with national cultural or political aspirations...
. In fact, some of the world's most renowned universities, such as Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
and Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
are private universities. While many prominent private universities are run by charitable or non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
s, a subset are commercial for-profit universities
For-Profit School
For-profit education refers to educational institutions operated by private, profit-seeking businesses....
which are run as business organizations.
Nigeria
In NigeriaNigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
there are a number of private universities, one of which is Igbinedion University
Igbinedion University
Igbinedion University Okada is a private university in Nigeria. Located at Okada Wonderland, a town beside Benin City, Edo state. The university was founded by Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, a millionaire, philanthropist and local leader....
, located in Okada, a town in Benin, Edo state. The university is the first private university providing for the study of medicine.
Bangladesh
A number of private universities sprouted in Bangladesh after the Private University Act, 1992 was instituted.The biggest private universities of Bangladesh include North South University
North South University
North South University or NSU is the first government-approved private university of Bangladesh. The university, where the language of instruction is English, offers a number of undergraduate and masters degrees in the fields of Business Administration, Computer Science, Electrical and...
(NSU), Independent University, Bangladesh
Independent University, Bangladesh
Independent University, Bangladesh or IUB is a private university in Bangladesh. It has two campuses, one at Dhaka and other at Chittagong.Its main campus is in Bashundhara, Dhaka...
(IUB), East West University
East West University
East West University is a private university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in 1996 by the Private University Act, 1992 by Dr. Mohammed Farashuddin...
(EWU), American International University-Bangladesh
American International University-Bangladesh
American International University-Bangladesh ' is a private research university located at Banani in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in 1994 by Anwarul Abedin under the Private University Act, 1992. The university is an independent organization with its own Board of Trustees. It offers...
(AIUB), BRAC University
BRAC University
BRAC University is a private university in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The university was established by BRAC in 2001 under the Private University Act 1992. BRAC University had its first convocation in January 2006...
(BRACU), Asian University of Bangladesh
Asian University of Bangladesh
Asian University of Bangladesh or AUB is a Private, Coeducational university of Bangladesh. It was established on 4 January 1996 by the Private University Act 1992. AUB has four campuses in Uttara, Dhanmondi, Khulna and Rajshahi...
(AUB), America Bangladesh University
America Bangladesh University
America Bangladesh University or AMBAN is a private university located at Banani, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The university established by the Private University Act 1992 and affiliated by the University Grants Commission Bangladesh.-External links:...
, Stamford University Bangladesh(SUB), Northern University Bangladesh (NUB), Darul Ihsan University
Darul Ihsan University
Darul Ihsan University or DIU is a private university, main campus located at Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The university was founded by late Professor Syed Ali Ashraf. DIU was established in 1989...
(DIU), Southern University Bangladesh, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh
University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh
University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh is a university in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Founded in February 2002, permission to open was received from the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh in November 2003, pursuant to the Private University Act 1992..-Departments:ULAB offers programs...
(ULAB), BGC Trust University Bangladesh(BGCTUB), Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology
Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology
Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology is a private technical university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The university was founded by the Dhaka Ahsania Mission in 1995. Dhaka Ahsania Mission is a non-profit voluntary organization in Bangladesh...
(AUST), Bangladesh University
Bangladesh University
Bangladesh University or BU is a non-profit, non-sectarian private university located near the Parliament House at Dhaka, Bangladesh. The university was established in 2001 by the Private University Act 1992...
(BU), International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC), Presidency University
Presidency University
Presidency University is a private university located in Gulshan and Banani , Dhaka, Bangladesh. Presidency University has three schools containing four departments with a strong emphasis on research-based education. It is a new university, established in 2003, and currently more than 1,500...
(PU), Southeast University
Southeast University
Southeast University , colloquially Dongda is a public, coeducational research university located in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China....
(SEU), Shanto Mariam University of Creative Technology
Shanto Mariam University of Creative Technology
Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology or SMUCT is a private university established in 2003 under the Private University Act 1992. The university is located at Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was named after Md...
(SMUCT),Queens University (QU), Daffodil International University
Daffodil International University
Daffodil International University or ', a private university located at Dhanmondi, Dhaka, Bangladesh, was established on 24 January 2002 by the Private University Act 1992. The prime initiative of country’s leading conglomerate Daffodil Group is Daffodil International University. The founder of...
(DIU), United International University
United International University
United International University or is a private university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The university established in 2003 under the Private University Act. It is established with the support of United Group...
(UIU), The University of Asia Pacific (UAP), World University of Bangladesh (WUB), IBAIS university
IBAIS University
IBAIS University or International Business Administration and Information System is a privately supported educational institution located in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, Bangladesh.The university started its journey in August 2002. The First Vice-Chancellor of this University is Prof. M. Maniruzzaman Miah,...
, Asian University for Women (AUW), tish Dipankar University of Science & Technology (ADUST). University of Information Technology & Sciences (UITS).
All private universities must be approved by University Grants Commission
University Grants Commission (Bangladesh)
The University Grants Commission of Bangladesh was established on 16 December 1972. It was created according to the Presidential Order of the Government of People's Republic of Bangladesh.-Purpose:...
(UGC) before they are given a permit to operate.
See External links for: Private Universities Act 1992
China
Since 2003, joint-partnership private universities have been established in the People's Republic of China(PRC). English is the only language of instruction in all three institutions.- University of Nottingham Ningbo, ChinaUniversity of Nottingham Ningbo, ChinaThe University of Nottingham Ningbo China is a University of The University of Nottingham, UKTsituated in the city of Ningbo in the coastal province of Zhejiang, near Shanghai. The campus is a joint venture partnership with the Zhejiang Wanli Education Group. It is one of the first Sino-foreign...
(UNNC) in Ningbo, Zhejiang - United International CollegeUnited International CollegeUnited International College situated in Zhuhai and jointly founded by Beijing Normal University and Hong Kong Baptist University, is the first full-scale cooperation in higher education between Mainland China and Hong Kong. Its charter has been approved by the Ministry of Education with full...
(UIC) in Zhuhai, Guangdong - Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) in Suzhou, Jiangsu
Taiwan
In Taiwan (ROC), unlike the United States, private universities are typically not as prestigious as public (national) universities. They aren't as highly ranked as public institutions, and also cost nearly twice as much. This is due to the form of testing in schools in Taiwan, in which students take a national entrance exam to determine their university qualifications. Thus, those who are unable to test-pass into the national schools (which are the best) are forced to attend private institutions. The famous private university is Fu Jen Catholic UniversityFu Jen Catholic University
Fu Jen Catholic University is a co-educational Catholic university located in Xinzhuang District, New Taipei City, Republic of China...
, and the earliest is Tunghai University
Tunghai University
Tunghai University was founded by Methodist missionaries in 1955 as a comprehensive university. It is a top-ranked private school and a leading institution in Taiwan. Moreover, Tunghai University was founded as the first private university making it the second oldest university in Taiwan, which...
.
| 2010 ARWU Rankings | 2010 QS World Rankings | 2010 QS Asian Rankings | 2010 eduniversal Rankings | 2009 QS Asian Rankings: Int’l faculty review | 2009 QS Asian Rankings: Int’l student review | 2000 Singapore “Asiaweek” Rankings | University | Local | Median score |
| none | 551-600 | 113= | 3rd class | 010 | 300 | 70 | Fu Jen Catholic University Fu Jen Catholic University Fu Jen Catholic University is a co-educational Catholic university located in Xinzhuang District, New Taipei City, Republic of China... |
New Taipei | 01 |
| 406 | none | 089= | none | 236 | 209 | none | Chang Gung University Chang Gung University Chang Gung University is a private university in Gueishan, Taoyuan, northern Taiwan.- History :The institution was established as the Chang Gung Medical College in April 1987. Engineering and management students have been accepted since 1993, when the name was changed to Chang Gung College of... |
Taoyuan | 02 |
| none | none | 151= | none | 138 | 195 | none | Feng Chia University Feng Chia University Feng Chia University is a private university in Taichung, Taiwan. It was named after Chiu Feng-Chia , one of the leaders of the military resistance against the Japanese invasion of Taiwan in 1895.-History:In the 1950s, some of the gentry in the central Taiwan area proposed to establish one... |
Taichung Taichung -Demographics:Taichung’s population was an estimated 1,040,725 in August 2006. There are slightly more females in the city than males.24.32% of residents are children, while 16.63% are young people, 52.68% are middle-age, and 6.73% are elderly.... |
03 |
| none | none | none | none | 036 | 144 | none | Ming Chuan University Ming Chuan University Ming Chuan University is a selective private university founded by Pao Teh-Ming and her husband Lee Ying-Chao. Named after the famous progressive Qing Dynasty governor of Taiwan Liu Mingchuan, it is known for its communication and business programs.-History:The institution was founded as a three... |
Taipei Taipei Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean... |
04 |
| none | none | none | none | 038 | 320 | none | Tunghai University Tunghai University Tunghai University was founded by Methodist missionaries in 1955 as a comprehensive university. It is a top-ranked private school and a leading institution in Taiwan. Moreover, Tunghai University was founded as the first private university making it the second oldest university in Taiwan, which... |
Taichung Taichung -Demographics:Taichung’s population was an estimated 1,040,725 in August 2006. There are slightly more females in the city than males.24.32% of residents are children, while 16.63% are young people, 52.68% are middle-age, and 6.73% are elderly.... |
05 |
| none | none | none | none | 083 | 317 | none | Soochow University (Taiwan) Soochow University (Taiwan) Soochow University is a private university located in Taipei, Taiwan. Although the Soochow University in Taiwan maintains a church and a Methodist minister in residence, it may be considered a secular institution... |
Taipei Taipei Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean... |
06 |
| none | none | none | none | 110 | 268 | none | Tamkang University Tamkang University Tamkang University is a private Taiwanese university located in Tamsui District, New Taipei City. Founded in 1950 as a junior college of English literature, the college has expanded into a full university with 11 colleges today.... |
New Taipei | 07 |
| none | none | none | none | 178 | 311 | none | Chung Yuan Christian University Chung Yuan Christian University Chung Yuan Christian University is a Taiwanese private university located in Jhongli City, Taoyuan County. The university was established as Chung Yuan Christian College of Science and Engineering in 1955 by a group of Taiwanese and American Christian educators to train science and engineering... |
Taoyuan | 08 |
| none | none | none | none | 324= | 243 | none | Yuan Ze University Yuan Ze University Yuan Ze University is a private university located in Taoyuan, Taiwan.The university is situated on the northern part of the island of Taiwan, half an hour from the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.- Presidents :* Wang Kuo-ming : 1989–1999... |
Taoyuan | 09 |
| none | none | none | none | 324= | 354 | none | Tatung University Tatung University Tatung University is a private university in Zhongshan District, Taipei, Taiwan, with close cooperation with the Tatung Company.- History :... |
Taipei Taipei Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean... |
10 |
India
In IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, privately funded institutions have existed since independence. Many of these universities offer multidisciplinary professional courses similar to state funded universities, however institutions offering single stream specialization programs are also in existence.
, there are 86 private universities in India. The oldest one is Sikkim Manipal University of Health Medical & Technological Science
Sikkim Manipal University
Sikkim Manipal University is a public-private partnership between the Government of Sikkim and Manipal Education in India. It was established in 1995 and is recognised by the University Grants Commission as a State Private University...
, with Gazette Notification date of 11 October, 1995.
Amity University
Amity University
Amity University is a private university in Noida, India established under an Uttar Pradesh state government act....
in Noida
Noida
Noida , short for the New Okhla Industrial Development Area, is an area in India under the management of the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority . Noida came into administrative existence on 17 April 1976 and celebrates 17 April as "Noida Day". It was set up as part of an urbanization...
, Delhi is also highly regarded and popular for Law, Biotechnology, Engineering, and Management.
Indonesia
- University of Pembangunan Nasional VeteranUniversity of Pembangunan Nasional VeteranUniversity of Pembangunan Nasional Veteran East Java abbreviated as UPN Veteran is a one of the private universities in Indonesia, located at Surabaya municipality, Province of East Java, established on 5 July 1959 by Indonesian Veterans of Independence War as a living monument for development of...
(UPN Veteran) is a one of Private Universities in Indonesia, located at Surabaya municipality, Province of East JavaEast JavaEast Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and islands to its east and to its north East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and...
, established at 5 July 1959 by Indonesian Veterans of Independence War as a living monument for development of education in Indonesia.
- Muhammadiyah University of MagelangMuhammadiyah University of MagelangMuhammadiyah University of Magelang which is well known as UMM an abbreviation of Universitas Muhammadiyah Magelang, is one of private universities belong to Muhammadiyah organisation...
, is one of private university belong to Muhammadiyah organisation. This university is well known as UMMGL standing for Universitas Muhammadiyah Magelang. This University was founded on August 31, 1964.
Iraq
Al Rafidain University CollegeAl Rafidain University College
Al Rafidain University College is a private Iraqi university established in 1988 in Baghdad, Iraq.- Faculties :The College includes study in:* Computer & Communications* Administration* Accounting* Refrigeration and Air Conditioning....
American University of Iraq
Al Turath University College
Al Turath University College
is a private Iraqi university estableshed in 1988 in Baghdad, Iraq.- Faculties :*Department of English Literature*Department of Law*Department of Business Management*Department of Computer Science...
Al Mansour University College
Al Mansour University College
Al Mansour University College is a private Iraqi university estableshed in 1988 in Baghdad, Iraq.-Faculties:Al-Mansour University College consists of the following Departments:* Computer & Communications Engineering Department...
Al Maarif University College
Al Maarif University College
Al Maarif University College is a private Iraqi university established in 1993 in Anbar, Iraq....
Al Hadbaa University College
Al Hadbaa University College
Al Hadbaa University College is a private Iraqi university established in 1994 in Mosul, Iraq....
Al Rasheed University College
Al Rasheed University College
Al Rasheed University College is a private Iraqi university established in Baghdad, Iraq....
Al Yarmouk University College
Al Yarmouk University College
Al Yarmouk University College is a private Iraqi university established in 1996 in Diyala and the Medical Departments lie in Baghdad, Iraq.- Faculties :* Dentistry* Pharmacy* Computer Engineering Techniques* Computer Science* Sickness Analysis...
Baghdad College of Economic Sciences University
Baghdad College of Economic Sciences University
Baghdad College of Economic Sciences University is a private Iraqi university established in 1996 in Baghdad, Iraq....
Baghdad College of Pharmacy
Baghdad College of Pharmacy
Baghdad College of Pharmacy is a private Iraqi university estableshed in 2000 in Baghdad, Iraq.It's founded by the Iraqi Pharmacists Syndicate in accordance to the law & regulations of Ministry of Higher Education governing the establishment and administration of private universities and...
Business & Management University
Dijla University College
Dijla University College
Dijla University College is a private Iraqi university established in 2004 in Baghdad, Iraq.-Faculties:* Department of Computer Science* Department of Business Administration* Department of Banking and Financial Sciences...
Humanitarian Studies University College
Humanitarian Studies University College
Humanitarian Studies University College is a private Iraqi university estableshed in 2005 in Najaf, Iraq....
Islamic University College
Islamic University College
Islamic University College is a private Iraqi university established in 2004 in Najaf, Iraq.- Faculties :* Department of Quranic Studies* Department of Law* Department of Islamic Thought and Belief* Department of Political and International Science...
Madenat Alelem University College
Madenat Alelem University College
Madenat Alelem University College or Science City University College is a private Iraqi university established in 2005 in Baghdad, Iraq.-Faculties:* Department of Computers Engineering Techniques* Department of Software Sciences Engineering...
Mamon University College
Shat Al Arab University College
Shat Al Arab University College
Shat Al Arab University College is a private Iraqi university estableshed in 1993 in Basrah in the south of Iraq.- Faculties :* Faculty of Computer Science* Faculty of English Language* Faculty of Management and Economics* Faculty of Law...
Sheikh Mohammed Al Kasinzan University College
Sheikh Mohammed Al Kasinzan University College
Sheikh Mohammed Al Kasinzan University College is a private Iraqi university established in 2005 in Baghdad, Iraq....
Sheikh Tusi University College
Sheikh Tusi University College
Sheikh Tusi University College is a private Iraqi university established in 2006 in Najaf, Iraq....
The British Royal University
Japan
Japan had 568 private universities, while there are 87 national universitiesJapanese national university
As of 2008, there were 87 , 89 public universities and 580 private universities in Japan. National universities, tend to be held in higher regard in higher education in Japan than private or public universities....
and 89 public universities. Private universities thus account for about 3/4 of all universities in Japan. Many, but not all, junior colleges in Japan are private. Like public and national universities, many private universities use National Center Test for University Admissions
National Center Test for University Admissions
The is a type of standardized test used by public and some private universities in Japan. It is held annually during a weekend in mid-January over a period of two days....
as an entrance exam.
Malaysia
Tunku Abdul Rahman UniversityTunku Abdul Rahman University
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman is a private, coeducational university based in Malaysia. Established in 2001, it is renowned for courses such as business, finance, accounting, medicine, Chinese medicine, science, and journalism.-History:...
is one of the well-known private, coeducational comprehensive research university based in Malaysia.
Multimedia University (MMU) is the first private university in Malaysia. It is also the only private university in Malaysia that was ranked as among the top 200 Asian universities by QS in 2009. MMU is rated Tier 5 (Excellent) by The Malaysian Quality Agency Rating System for Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia.
Lebanon
There are 19 private universities in Lebanon. Among these universities, two are internationally acknowledged, namely, the American University of BeirutAmerican University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut is a private, independent university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded as the Syrian Protestant College by American missionaries in 1866...
and the Lebanese American University
Lebanese American University
The Lebanese American University is a secular, private and independent American university located in Lebanon...
. The languages of teaching in private universities are mainly French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, while Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
is widely used in religious universities and Armenian
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
in the Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n university. The first university opened in Lebanon was the Syrian Protestant College in 1866 (Became the American University of Beirut in 1921). It was founded by Daniel Bliss a Protestant missionary. The second university opened in Lebanon was the, Université Saint-Joseph, founded by the Jesuits in 1875.
Pakistan
The Higher Education Commission (HEC), formerly the University Grant Commission, is the primary regulator of higher education in Pakistan. It also facilitates the development of higher educational system in Pakistan. Its main purpose is to upgrade the List of universities in Pakistan to be world-class centres of education, research and development.The HEC is also playing a leading role towards building a knowledge-based economy in Pakistan by giving out hundreds of doctoral scholarships for education abroad every year.
In spite of the criticism of HEC, its creation has also had a positive impact on higher education in Pakistan. In their two year report for 2004 to 2006 it is mentioned that according to the Institute of Scientific Information, the total number of publications appearing in the 8,000 leading journals indexed in the web of Science arising out of Pakistan in 2005 was 1,259 articles, representing a 41% increase over the past two years and a 60% increase since the establishment of HEC in 2002. In addition the HEC digital library now provides access to over 20,000 leading research journals, covering about 75% of the world's peer reviewed scientific journals.
Until 1991, there were only two recognized private universities in Pakistan: Aga Khan University
Aga Khan University
The Aga Khan University is a coeducational research university spread over three continents. It was granted its charter in 1983 as Pakistan's first private, autonomous university. AKU was founded by His Highness the Aga Khan, and is part of the Aga Khan Development Network...
established in 1983; and Lahore University of Management Sciences
Lahore University of Management Sciences
The Lahore University of Management Sciences, usually referred to by its acronym LUMS, is a university located in Lahore, Pakistan. LUMS was established in 1984 by a group of industrialists and people belonging to Pakistan's leading private and public sector corporations, to provide rigorous...
established in 1985. By 1997, however, there were 10 private universities and in 2001-2002, this number had doubled to 20; among the first to gain degree awarding status was Hajvery University, Lahore
Hajvery University, Lahore
Hajvery University is an institution of higher education in Lahore, Pakistan. HU is chartered by the government of Pakistan as an Autonomous Degree Awarding Institution...
(HU), established in 1990. In 2003-2004 Pakistan had a total of 83 private degree granting institutions.
The HEC website also points to a 40% increase in enrollment in universities in Pakistan over the last two years, which it attributes to efforts on its part to encourage higher education in the country.
See External links for : Higher Education Commission
Philippines
Private colleges and universities may either be "sectarian" or "non-sectarian" entities. Institutions may be not-for-profit, or profit-oriented. Most private schools are not-for-profit Catholic like Adamson University (Vincentian), Ateneo de Manila University (Jesuit), Colegio de San Juan de Letran (Dominican), De La Salle University (Christian Brothers), Don Bosco Technical College (Salesian), Saint Louis University, Baguio City (CICM), San Beda College (Benedictine), University of San Carlos (SVD), and the University of Santo Tomas (Dominican). However, there are also non-Catholic not-for-profit sectarian institutions such as Silliman University (Presbyterian), Trinity University of Asia (Anglican), Philippine Christian University (Methodist), Adventist University of the Philippines (Seventh-day Adventists), and New Era University (Iglesia ni Cristo). Non-sectarian private schools, on the other hand, are corporations licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Two are registered on the Philippine Stock Exchange like Far Eastern University, and Centro Escolar University.Singapore
SIM UniversitySIM University
SIM University is a private university in Singapore. Established in 2005, UniSIM is approved by Singapore's Ministry of Education to award recognised Singapore degrees. The university is part of the Singapore Institute of Management Group...
(UniSIM) is the first and only full-fledged private university in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. It is established in 2005 with the approval of Singapore's Ministry of Education (MOE) to award recognised Singapore degrees. Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents studying for their first degree in UniSIM are eligible for up to 55% fee subsidy from the Singapore Government. There are four degree-awarding schools in UniSIM, i.e. the School of Arts & Social Sciences, the School of Business, the School of Human Development & Social Services, and the School of Science & Technology. As of early 2011, the student enrollment stood at approximately 11,000.
Sri Lanka
In Sri LankaSri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
there are no private universities, however there are several independent institutions that are non-government funded. These mostly provide undergraduate degrees with a limited few proving postgraduate degrees. The Informatics Institute of Sri Lanka (IIT) http://www.iit.ac.lk and Sri Lanka Institute for Information Technology (SLIT) http://www.sliit.lk are examples. A reasonable number of foreign Universities franchise some parts of their degree courses in Sri Lanka with local institutes. Students are charged for the study (some of these Universities are state funded institutions of their home countries) and these charges are often a fraction of the cost studying in the home countries of these institutions.
Efforts to establish Private Universities have been blocked due to protests from state universities' undergraduates and leftist political parties.
However Minister to High Education Mr.S.B.Dissanayaka has emphasized that 15 no's of foreign private Universities and Technical Institutes will be established in SriLanka immediatlely and he further mentioned that private education will bring foreign exchange to the Country. He stated these while he was addressing a gathering at Central Provience.
Vietnam
Since the 1990s a lot of private universities have opened in Vietnam. Hochiminh City Open University was one of the first universities in this category in the higher education system in Vietnam. Typical characteristics of Vietnamese private universities are higher (very high in some cases) tuition fees, poor infrastructure, and limited faculty and human resources. The private universities are often named after scholars (Vo Truong Toan University, Nguyen Trai University, Luong The Vinh University, Chu Van A University, Yersin University, Phan Chau Trinh University, etc.), or heroes/legends (Hung VuongHung Vuong
Hùng Vương is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Vietnamese rulers of the Hồng Bàng) period. In antiquity this title began to be used for the ruler who was the religious and political leader of united ancient Vietnam...
University, Quang Trung University, etc.), although there are exceptions, such as FPT University
FPT University
FPT University is a private information technology university in Hà Nội, Vietnam, established in 2006. The name comes from that of the managing organisation, the Corporation for Financing and Promoting Technology, or FPT for short. It is the first private university to be opened in Vietnam. They...
named after the FPT Group
FPT Group
FPT is a multinational information technology company of Vietnam, originally known as Food Processing Technology. One of Vietnam's leading companies, it is based in Hà Nội and has branches in Ho Chi Minh and Da Nang...
and Tan Tao University
Tan Tao University
Tan Tao University - is a private non-profit university in Long An, Vietnam, established in 2010 by the . The founder and the main sponsor of TTU is Mme. Dang Thi Hoang Yen. Tan Tao is the university using the model of Duke University, USA...
in Tan Tao Group
Tan Tao Group
Tan Tao Group is a leading industrial park and infrastructure developer in Vietnam, specializing in industrial parks development, land development, infrastructure and power development, and telecom and network development....
. In Vietnam, there exists the "Semi-private university"; universities in this category can partly receive financial support from the government. Almost private universities have to invite professors and lecturers from the state universities. Many retired lecturers from state-owned universities take up positions in private universities after their retirement.
Austria
In AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, educational institutions must be authorised by the country to legally grant academic degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
s. All state-run universities are governed by the 2002 Austrian Universities' and University Degree Programmes' Organisation Act (Federal Law Gazette No. 120/2002). In 1999, a federal law (Universitäts-Akkreditierungsgesetz) was passed to allow the accreditation of private universities. The Akkreditierungsrat (Accreditation Council) evaluates applicants and issues recommendations to the responsible Austrian accreditation authority (the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science & Research).
Accreditation by the council yields a couple of privileges: Academic grades
Grade (education)
Grades are standardized measurements of varying levels of comprehension within a subject area. Grades can be assigned in letters , as a range , as a number out of a possible total , as descriptors , in percentages, or, as is common in some post-secondary...
issued by accredited private universities have the same legal status as those issued by state-run universities. Private universities can appoint or promote professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
s. Their students enjoy the same privileges pertaining social security, foreigner law and state scholarships as students of the state universities. Private Educational services of private universities are not subject to value added tax
Value added tax
A value added tax or value-added tax is a form of consumption tax. From the perspective of the buyer, it is a tax on the purchase price. From that of the seller, it is a tax only on the "value added" to a product, material or service, from an accounting point of view, by this stage of its...
, and donations are tax deductible.
Accreditations must be renewed regularly and can be withdrawn, e.g. in the case of repeated academic misconduct as happened in 2003 where the accreditation of International University Vienna
International University Vienna
The International University , Vienna was an unaccredited private university located in Vienna, Austria, with a subsidiary in Kiev, Ukraine. According to IU, it was chartered in 1980 by the U.S. state of Alabama as a private degree-granting postsecondary institution. The Vienna operation was...
, was withdrawn. In 2006, when the accreditation of IMADEC University
IMADEC University
IMADEC University is a private business and law school located in Vienna, Austria.-History:Founded in 1991 as "International Management Development Consulting", IMADEC offered an MBA programme, which was accredited until January 2005 by FIBAA , a German accreditation agency.In January 2001, IMADEC...
expired, the Accreditation Council rejected requests for renewal.
Austrian law provides that private universities in Austria must use the term Privatuniversität (literally, "private university") in their German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
names, although their formal names in other languages, e.g. in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, are not regulated. Thus, there is the possibility of private institutions employing the term "university" as opposed to "private university" in their advertisements in all languages except German while still complying with Austrian law.
While the legal definition of "private university" prohibits funding by the federal government of Austria, funding by other public bodies is not prohibited. Consequently, some of Austria's private universities are funded or partly funded by provincial governments, while others are fully private funded.
Accreditation of private universities started in 2001. Austria has 13 private universities. Most of them are small (fewer than 1000 students) and specialise in only one or two fields of study:
- Anton Bruckner Private University for Music, Drama, and DanceAnton Bruckner Private University for Music, Drama, and DanceAnton Bruckner Private University for Music, Drama, and Dance is one of four universities in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria. It has ca...
in LinzLinzLinz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about... - Catholic-Theological Private University LinzCatholic-Theological Private University LinzThe Catholic-Theological Private University Linz is one of four universities in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria, with approximately 500 students enrolled. Its roots go back to 1672 and it is a Papal faculty since 1978...
- Danube Private University in Krems an der Donau
- European Peace University in StadtschlainingStadtschlainingStadtschlaining is a town in the district of Oberwart in Burgenland in Austria. The European University Center for Peace Studies is in Stadtschlaining....
- Konservatorium WienKonservatorium WienThe Konservatorium Wien Privatuniversität is a private music conservatory in Vienna, Austria established in 1938 as Musikschule der Stadt Wien.The school attained university status on June 15, 2005 as a private institution....
in ViennaViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre... - MODUL University ViennaMODUL University Vienna-MODUL University Vienna:MODUL University Vienna is a private university established in 2007 in Vienna, Austria, focusing on Social and Economic Development, particularly in the areas of tourism, information technology and public governance....
(2007) - New Design UniversityNew Design UniversityNew Design University is a private university in St. Pölten, Austria. It focuses primarily on interior design and graphic design studies....
in St. Pölten - Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversität in SalzburgSalzburg-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
- PEF Private University of Management ViennaPEF Private University of Management ViennaPEF Private University of Management in Vienna was accredited by the Austrian Accreditation Council as a private university in June 2002.PEF is focussed on master's programmes in the areas of social and economic science....
in ViennaViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and GrazGrazThe more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students... - Privatuniversität Schloss Seeburgin Seekirchen (near Salzburg)
- University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology in Hall in TirolHall in TirolHall in Tirol is a town in the Innsbruck-Land district of Tyrol, Austria. Located at an altitude of 574 m, about 5 km east of the state's capital Innsbruck in the Inn valley, it has a population of about 12,700 .-History:...
- Sigmund Freud University ViennaSigmund Freud University ViennaLocated in Vienna, Austria, the Sigmund Freud University was accredited as a private university by the in August 2005.As a university in the field of Human Sciences, SFU specializes in Psychotherapy Science and Psychology...
- Webster University ViennaWebster University ViennaWebster University Vienna is the Austrian branch of Webster University, and Webster's biggest campus outside the US. It was founded in 1981, since 9 January 2001 it is accredited as Austria's third private university...
(also accredited in the USA)
Three former private universities are not accredited any more:
- International University ViennaInternational University ViennaThe International University , Vienna was an unaccredited private university located in Vienna, Austria, with a subsidiary in Kiev, Ukraine. According to IU, it was chartered in 1980 by the U.S. state of Alabama as a private degree-granting postsecondary institution. The Vienna operation was...
: Accreditation was withdrawn in 2003 due to academic misconduct. - IMADEC UniversityIMADEC UniversityIMADEC University is a private business and law school located in Vienna, Austria.-History:Founded in 1991 as "International Management Development Consulting", IMADEC offered an MBA programme, which was accredited until January 2005 by FIBAA , a German accreditation agency.In January 2001, IMADEC...
: First accreditation period ended in January 2006 and was not renewed. - TCM Privatuniversität Li Shi Zhen in ViennaViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
: Accreditation period ended 2009; TCM did not call for renewal. All students could finish their studies.
Bulgaria
BulgariaBulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
has a number of private universities among which most renown are New Bulgarian University
New Bulgarian University
New Bulgarian University is a private university based in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. NBU is the first private university in Bulgaria, and among the top rated by Bulgarian businesses universities in the country...
, located in capital sity Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, and Burgas Free University, Varna Free University and American University in Bulgaria
American University in Bulgaria
American University in Bulgaria is a private, selective, residential liberal arts university located in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. Courses are taught in English by high-quality faculty coming from four continents, experienced in teaching in a multicultural, learner-centered environment...
.
Germany
GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
has 83 private universities (called Privathochschule) and 45 church-run universities (called kirchliche Hochschule). Similar to the state-run universities, they are subdivided into Universitäten, Fachhochschule
Fachhochschule
A Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
n (universities of applied science) and Kunst- und Musikhochschulen (art schools). Private universities in Germany need institutional accreditation by the state.
The first private university in Germany, The Ukrainian Free University was established 16 September 1950 in Munich. More recently Witten/Herdecke University
Witten/Herdecke University
Witten/Herdecke University is a private university in Witten, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Unlike most other German universities, it is a private enterprise with about 1100 students and 400 employees...
opened in 1982. Though private universities are numerous in Germany, they represent only less than 1% of all students. Some private universities, including Hanseatic University Rostock
Hanseatic University Rostock
The Hanseatic University in Rostock-Warnemünde was a private university in Rostock, Germany. Founded in 2007, it was the second private institution of higher education in Germany to be granted university status by the government...
(2007–2009) and the International University in Germany in Bruchsal
Bruchsal
Bruchsal is a city at the western edge of the Kraichgau, approximately 20 km northeast of Karlsruhe in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany...
have gone out of business.
Most of the church universities are run by the Protestant or Catholic churches, however there is one Jewish university (Hochschule für Jüdische Studien) in Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
.
Greece
In GreeceGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
private universities are prohibited by the constitution
Constitution of Greece
The Constitution of Greece , was created by the Fifth Revisional Parliament of the Hellenes and entered into force in 1975. It has been revised three times since, most significantly in 1986, and also in 2001 and in 2008. The Constitutional history of Greece goes back to the Greek War of...
(Article 16). However, laboratories of liberal studies (Εργαστήρια ελευθέρων σπουδών, ergastiria eleftheron spoudon) operate freely in the country and based on a law from the 1930s they are registered as private for-profit businesses and regulated by the Greek Ministry of Commerce. Their academic degrees, which are not recognised in Greece, are directly provided to successful students by foreign universities in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, United States of America, or other countries, usually through franchise
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
or validation agreements (the franchise agreement usually being considered better). This has limited access to the laboratories, which usually teach in English, to high-income Greeks who for various reasons (usually family matters) did not want to go abroad.
In 2008 the Nea Demokratia-led government of Greece voted a law that will force all laboratories of liberal studies to register with the Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs as college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
s (κολλέγια, kollegia) by August 2009. It is expected that this will help to widen the participation of Greek students in private colleges, thus allowing the expertise and efficiency of the private educational sector to benefit the Greek students and society.
Hungary
- Central European UniversityCentral European UniversityFor other uses, see European University Central European University is a graduate-level, English-language university offering degrees in the social sciences, humanities, law, public policy, business management, environmental science, and mathematics...
in Budapest, a founding member of the European University AssociationEuropean University AssociationThe European University Association represents and supports more than 850 institutions of higher education in 46 countries, providing them with a forum for cooperation and exchange of information on higher education and research policies...
(EUA)
Ireland
In the Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, a private university (more commonly known as a private college) is one that is not funded by the state, and therefore not covered by the free-fees initiative. All universities, Institutes of Technology
Regional Technical College
An Institute of Technology or IT is a type of further education college found in Ireland. There are a total of fourteen colleges that use the title of Institute of Technology, which were created from the late 1960s and were formerly known as Regional Technical Colleges...
, Colleges of Education, as well as the National College of Ireland
National College of Ireland
National College of Ireland offers full and part-time courses from foundation to degree and postgraduate level. All courses are fully accredited and delivered from the IFSC campus and across a network of regional centres....
and some religious institutions are publicly funded and therefore covered by free-fees initiative. There are few private colleges, and they are highly specialised, such as Griffith College Dublin
Griffith College Dublin
Griffith College Dublin is a private third level college in the Republic of Ireland. It is based in and named after the former Griffith Barracks on the South Circular Road in Dublin. It offers courses accredited by a number of institutions and bodies in Ireland and Britain...
, Dorset College and Dublin Business School
Dublin Business School
Dublin Business School incorporating Portobello College is the largest independent college in Ireland. With over 9,000 students, DBS provides a range of full-time and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, with courses for 2010/2011 in subject areas such as business, law, event...
. The major representative body for private colleges in Ireland is the Higher Education Colleges Association. Private colleges in Ireland can seek to have their programmes validated/accredited by the Higher Education and Training Awards Council
Higher Education and Training Awards Council
The Higher Education and Training Awards Council , the legal successor to the National Council for Educational Awards , grants higher education awards in Ireland in the extra-university system...
.
See external links for: free-fees initiative and Higher Education Colleges Association
Netherlands
Nyenrode is the only private university in the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
at the graduate level. The university was founded in 1946. It serves as a graduate school
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
for business and management. Both programs are taught in English. Recently, Nyenrode merged with the Institute for CPA Education and both institutions share their facilities. The Nyenrode Business University also contains a campus and active student body.
Other Dutch private universities are universities of applied science (HBOs) where one can obtain a bachelor's. These include Business School Notenboom (founded in 1958) and IVA Driebergen for the automotive industry with its earliest beginnings in 1930.
Portugal
The oldest non-state-run university, the Universidade Católica Portuguesa - UCP (Catholic University of Portugal), a catholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
private university (concordat
Concordat
A concordat is an agreement between the Holy See of the Catholic Church and a sovereign state on religious matters. Legally, they are international treaties. They often includes both recognition and privileges for the Catholic Church in a particular country...
ory status) with branches in the cities of Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
, Braga
Braga
Braga , a city in the Braga Municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and the third major city of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese city and one of the oldest Christian cities in the World...
, Viseu
Viseu
Viseu is both a city and a municipality in the Dão-Lafões Subregion of Centro Region, Portugal. The municipality, with an area of 507.1 km², has a population of 99,593 , and the city proper has 47,250...
, and Caldas da Rainha
Caldas da Rainha
Caldas da Rainha is a city in western central Portugal. The city serves as the seat of the larger municipality of the same name and is the seat of the Comunidade Intermunicipal do Oeste...
, was founded before the others, in 1967, and officially recognized in 1971. UCP offers some well-recognized degrees and is reputed for economics, law and business management degrees it awards at its Lisbon branch. Other degrees awarded by UCP, like biotechnology and dental medicine, amassed increasing success and popularity since the 2000s. After the Carnation Revolution
Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
of 1974, in the 1980s and 1990s, a boom of educational private institutions was experienced in Portugal and many private universities started to open. Most private universities had a poor reputation and were known for making it easy for students to enter and also to get high grades. In 2007, several of those private universities or their heirs, were investigated and faced compulsory closing (for example, the infamous Independente University
Independente University
Independente University was a private university, headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal, founded in 1993 by Luís Arouca, Rui Verde and Amadeu Lima Carvalho...
and Internacional University
Internacional University
Internacional University or UI for short, was a Portuguese private university with facilities in Lisbon and Figueira da Foz, which had been founded in 1984...
closings, and the Moderna University
Moderna University
Moderna University ' was a Portuguese private university headquartered in Lisbon, with departments in Setúbal, Porto and Beja. The institution was authorized by the Portuguese Ministry of Education to provide university higher education services in 1994...
scandal) or official criticism with recommendations that the state-managed investigation proposed for improving their quality and avoid termination. In the mid-2000s, within the Bologna process
Bologna process
The purpose of the Bologna Process is the creation of the European Higher Education Area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe, in particular under the Lisbon Recognition Convention...
, a reorganization of higher education was started which included more stringent regulations for private education and expanded state policies with regard to private education quality assurance and educational accreditation
Educational accreditation
Educational accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
. In general, the private higher education institutions were often considered the schools of last resort for underachieving applicants who didn't score enough points in the admission examinations to enter the main public institutions. Nearly open-admission policies have hurt private universities' reputation and the actual quality of their alumni. Without large endowments like those received, for example, by many US private universities and colleges which are attractive to the best scholars, researchers and students, the private higher education institutions of Portugal, with a few exceptions, do not have neither the financial support nor the academic profile to reach the highest teaching and research standards of the top Portuguese public universities. In addition, most private universities have faced a restrictive lack of collaboration with the major enterprises which, however, have developed fruitful relationships with many public higher education institutions. Most Portuguese private universities specialise in a limited number of fields, most often in the social sciences
Social sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
and humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
.
Switzerland
Further to the public Universities in Switzerland, the country is well known for its high-quality private education system. It starts with Swiss boarding schools which have achieved fame. World-class universities such as the IMDInternational Institute for Management Development
IMD - International Institute for Management Development is a non profit business school located in Lausanne, Switzerland.- History & Mission :...
belong to the category of institutions with top rankings. Leman University Geneva
Leman University Geneva
Leman University Geneva is a private university founded in Geneva, Switzerland. LUG is the only private University in Switzerland which offers degrees in Law...
, founded in Geneva Switzerland, is the only Private University in Switzerland offering programs in Law (Bachelor, Masters and Ph.D.).
For a more complete listing, please consult the List of universities in Switzerland. EDUNIVERSAL Official Selection has four private Business Schools in its rankings:
- the International Institute for Management DevelopmentInternational Institute for Management DevelopmentIMD - International Institute for Management Development is a non profit business school located in Lausanne, Switzerland.- History & Mission :...
(IMD) - the Peter LorangePeter LorangePeter Lorange is a Norwegian economist. He is President and owner of the Lorange Institute of Business Zürich, formerly known as GSBA Zurich, which he bought in July 2009. Lorange has previousely been President of the International Institute for Management Development and President of the BI...
Institute of Business (former GSBA) - EDUCATIS University
- International University in GenevaInternational University in GenevaInternational University in Geneva is a private university founded in 1997 and located in Geneva, Switzerland.-History & Mission:Founded with the aim of providing a multicutural education and incorporated as a not-for-profit Swiss Private Foundation in 1997, its first president was David Williamson...
(IUG)
Turkey
In Turkey there are 28 private universities, with 5 more not yet opened(as of 08/08/11). The well known private universities in Turkey are:- Bilkent UniversityBilkent Universityİhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University, commonly referred to as Bilkent University or Bilkent, is the first private, nonprofit university in Turkey with the fundamental aim of creating a center of excellence in higher education and research...
in AnkaraAnkaraAnkara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million.... - Koc UniversityKoç UniversityKoç University is a private, non-profit institution, founded in 1993 and located in Istanbul, Turkey. One of the top universities in Turkey, it is supported by the financial resources of the Vehbi Koç Foundation, set up by Vehbi Koç, a leading Turkish businessman, “to serve humanity by increasing...
in IstanbulIstanbulIstanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and... - Fatih UniversityFatih UniversityFatih University is a private university mainly located in Büyükçekmece, Istanbul, Turkey. The university was established in 1996 by the Turkish Association of Health and Medical Treatment...
in IstanbulIstanbulIstanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and... - Sabanci UniversitySabanci UniversitySabancı University is a private research institution located in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded in 1996. SU is a small and highly focused university with 2861 undergraduates and 624 graduates, maintaining a strong emphasis on social and natural sciences...
in IstanbulIstanbulIstanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and... - Yeditepe UniversityYeditepe UniversityYeditepe University is a foundation university situated in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded in 1996, Yeditepe University now claims to be the largest of the 27 foundation universities in Turkey....
- Bahcesehir UniversityBahçesehir UniversityBahçeşehir University is a private educational institution in Turkey, on the European side of Istanbul. The Turkish National Assembly authorized the establishment of the University of Bahçeşehir by the Bahçeşehir Uğur Education Foundation in 1998. An academic and strategic protocol was signed...
- Istanbul Bilgi UniversityIstanbul Bilgi UniversityIstanbul Bilgi University is a private, non-profit university in Istanbul, Turkey. It was actually established in 1994 under the name ISIS , but its name was changed to Istanbul Bilgi University with the foundation of the school on June 7, 1996...
- Istanbul Kultur UniversityIstanbul Kültür University- About İKÜ :İstanbul Kültür University is a private university located in İstanbul, Turkey. It has three campuses, Ataköy, Bahçelievler and İncirli. The University was founded in 1997 and has five schools and two vocational schools...
- Okan UniversityOkan UniversityOkan University is a private university in Istanbul, Turkey.-History:The university was founded by Okan Holding, a Turkish company, in 1999.The university's first year of offering education was 2003.The first graduations took place in 2007....
- Baskent UniversityBaskent UniversityBaşkent University was founded on January 13, 1994 by Prof. Dr. Mehmet Haberal. The University center is located in Ankara and also has Medical and Research Centers and Dialysis Centers all around Turkey.-History:...
- Beykent UniversityBeykent UniversityBeykent University is a private university in Istanbul, Turkey, teaching in English. The typical enrolment is 15,000 students.It has four faculties comprising 28 academic departments in the fields of Engineering and Architecture, Fine Arts, Science, Economics and Administrative Sciences; a school...
.
United Kingdom
The University of BuckinghamUniversity of Buckingham
The University of Buckingham is an independent, non-sectarian, research and teaching university located in Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Great Ouse. It was originally founded as Buckingham University College in the 1970s and received its Royal Charter from the...
is currently the only fully-fledged private university in the United Kingdom. In July 2010 it was announced that London-based BPP would be granted permission to become a university college. BPP University College
BPP University College of Professional Studies
BPP University College is a private university college in England.The university is owned and run by BPP Holdings, a United Kingdom-based provider of professional and academic education that is part of the American higher education company Apollo Group which owns the University of Phoenix and ...
is now the UK's only private university college.
Other private degree awarding bodies in the UK include: Ashridge Business School
Ashridge Business School
Ashridge Business School is an independent, non-profit making organisation, near Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire, England. Its activities include open and tailored executive education programmes, MBA, MSc and Diploma qualifications, organisation consulting, applied research and online learning....
, ifs School of Finance, The College of Law
The College of Law
The College of Law of England and Wales is a private educational institution in England and a registered charity which provides legal education for students and professionals.-20th century:...
and Regent's College
Regent's College
Regent's College is located in Regent's Park, London, England. It is one of the two largest groups of buildings in the park, along with the London Zoo, and was built on the site of South Villa, one of the original eight Regent's Park villas....
, all of which are privately funded charitable bodies. In addition the private Richmond University has its degrees are validated by the public Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
.
All other British universities are public. They have considerable institutional autonomy, but are currently funded mainly by government teaching and research grants and the government regulates their tuition fees, student funding and student loans and commissions and regulates research assessments and teaching reviews. However, unlike in Continental European countries, the British government does not own universities' assets, and university staff are not civil servants. Government regulation arises as a condition of accepting funding from bodies such as HEFCE
Higher Education Funding Council for England
The Higher Education Funding Council for England is a non-departmental public body of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in the United Kingdom, which has been responsible for the distribution of funding to Universities and Colleges of Higher and Further Education in England since...
and any university can in principle choose to leave the HEFCE regulated system at any time.
In the UK, an institution can only use the title "University" or "University College" if it has been granted by the Privy Council, under the terms of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992
Further and Higher Education Act 1992
The Further and Higher Education Acts 1992 made changes in the funding and administration of further education and higher education within the United Kingdom. The most visible result was to allow thirty-five polytechnics to become universities. In addition the Act created bodies to fund higher...
. Prior to 1992, these titles were conferred by Royal Charter.
Alberta
Ambrose University CollegeAmbrose University College
Ambrose University College is a private Christian liberal arts college located in Calgary, Alberta.-History:Ambrose University College is the product of similar educational journeys begun in the first half of the twentieth century....
Canadian University College
Canadian University College
Canadian University College is an independent publicly funded university located in Lacombe. It is sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and is affiliated with the Association of Theological Schools...
Concordia University College of Alberta
Concordia University College of Alberta
Concordia University College of Alberta is an Canadian independent university in Edmonton, Alberta. The enabling legislation is the Post-secondary Learning Act.-History:...
King's University College
King's University College (Edmonton)
The King's University College is a private liberal arts college, located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The University was founded by members of the Christian Reformed Church who saw a need for a regional, trans-denominational, Christian college in Western Canada...
St. Mary's University College
St. Mary's University College, Calgary
St. Mary's University College is a private Catholic liberal arts institution in the city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The college officially became a university college on June 16, 2004, and granted its first degrees on September 25, 2004. The founding Governors were Mr. Justice Frank Quigley,...
British Columbia
Quest UniversityQuest University
Quest University Canada is a private non-profit liberal arts and sciences university in Squamish, British Columbia, Canada. The university opened in September 2007 with an enrolment of 74 students; its current enrolment is 300. Quest University is located on a mountain-top campus on the edge of...
Trinity Western University
Trinity Western University
Trinity Western University is a private, Christian liberal arts university located in Langley, British Columbia, Canada.The school was founded in 1962 as Trinity Junior College, and now enrolls approximately 4000 students and sits on a campus....
University Canada West
University Canada West
University Canada West is a private for-profit educational institution in British Columbia, Canada. University Canada West was established by David Strong, a former president of University of Victoria. Dr. Verna Magee Shepherd, a former vice-president of British Columbia Institute of Technology ,...
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Fairleigh Dickinson University is a private university founded as a junior college in 1942. It now has several campuses located in New Jersey, Canada, and the United Kingdom.-Description:...
(Vancouver Campus)
New Brunswick
Atlantic Baptist UniversityAtlantic Baptist University
Crandall University is a small Liberal Arts university located in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. Crandall is operated by the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches.-History:...
Crandall University
Lansbridge University
Lansbridge University
Lansbridge University was a private, for-profit distance education university with offices in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and formerly in British Columbia...
St. Stephen's University
St. Stephen's University
St. Stephen's University is a small Christian trans-denominational university located in the town of St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada.-History:Planning for the institution began in 1971 and the first students enrolled in 1975...
University of Fredericton
University of Fredericton
The University of Fredericton is a degree-granting online university providing certificate and graduate degree programs in business leadership in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The University of Fredericton offers MBA and EMBA Programs under Section 3 of the Degree Granting Act of the Province of New...
Yorkville University
Yorkville University
Located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, Yorkville University is a private, non-denominational university, specializing in both online and blended university degree programs...
Guatemala
In Guatemala, the only Public university is Universidad de San Carlos de GuatemalaUniversidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
The Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala It is the biggest and oldest university of Guatemala, also it is the fourth founded in the Americas....
. The rest of the degree offering institutions in the country are Private. See the List of universities in Guatemala for a list of the Private Universities in the country.
United States
In the U.S., many universities and colleges are private, operated as educational and research nonprofit organizationNonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
s. Some of the most prestigious universities in the U.S. are actually private universities. Examples include Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
.
While most liberal arts colleges
Liberal arts colleges in the United States
Liberal arts colleges in the United States are certain undergraduate institutions of higher education in the United States. The Encyclopædia Britannica Concise offers a definition of the liberal arts as a "college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general...
are likewise private, there are also some public liberal arts colleges
Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges
The Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges or COPLAC is a consortium of 26 public colleges and universities in 24 states and one Canadian province...
. Some private universities are closely affiliated with religious organizations (for example, the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
) and some are directly operated by religious organizations (such as Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
).
An emerging practice in the sector of private colleges and universities is for investors to procure struggling private non-profit colleges or universities in order to salvage or expand the institution. When investors are involved with the institution, it consequently changes the status of the institution from non-profit to for-profit; such as in the case of United States University
United States University
United States University , is a university with emphasis on nursing and teaching in Chula Vista which is part of . Founded in 1997 as InterAmerican College by Reymundo and Maria Marin, the college began as a non-profit college geared to help immigrants transfer degrees...
.
Proprietary colleges are also private though they are most often referred to as proprietary colleges to prevent confusion with non-profit private institutions.
Like government-operated institutions, private universities are eligible for educational accreditation
Educational accreditation
Educational accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
, but some private universities (primarily proprietary colleges) lack accreditation (see list of unaccredited institutions of higher learning), and their degrees are not formally recognized.
Legally, private universities may not discriminate, but generally have a somewhat free hand in setting admissions policies. For example, universities in the Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
based their selections on many secondary factors other than academic performance, up through the beginning of the 20th century. Since the post WW2-era, however, following in the mold of James Bryant Conant
James Bryant Conant
James Bryant Conant was a chemist, educational administrator, and government official. As thePresident of Harvard University he reformed it as a research institution.-Biography :...
at Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, most private universities have made enormous strides in becoming meritocratic
Meritocracy
Meritocracy, in the first, most administrative sense, is a system of government or other administration wherein appointments and responsibilities are objectively assigned to individuals based upon their "merits", namely intelligence, credentials, and education, determined through evaluations or...
. The nation's private institutions now make broad efforts to recruit students from underprivileged backgrounds.
The U.S. system of education has also been transplanted to other countries. Private universities such as the American University in Cairo
American University in Cairo
The American University in Cairo is an independent, non-profit, apolitical, secular institution of higher learning located in Cairo, Egypt...
and the American University of Afghanistan
American University of Afghanistan
The American University of Afghanistan is Afghanistan’s first private, not-for-profit institution of higher education. Chartered in 2004, AUAF offers undergraduate degree programs as well as intensive English-language college preparatory courses and continuing education and professional...
typically offer a liberal arts curriculum to their students.
Tuition fees at private universities tend to be higher than at public universities though many private universities offer financial aid as well.
Australia
Bond UniversityBond University
Bond University is a private university located in Robina, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It is also the first private university established in Australia...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's first private university, dates from 1987. It runs three semesters per year (correlating exactly with the Northern and Southern Hemispheres' schedules), which allows a student to complete a six semester degree in two years and an eight semester degree (e.g. Law) in under three years.
Since Bond University's foundation, the University of Notre Dame Australia
University of Notre Dame Australia
The University of Notre Dame Australia is a private Roman Catholic university established in 1989 in the Western Australian port city of Fremantle, . While the University of Notre Dame Australia has "strong collegial links" with the American University of Notre Dame located in Notre Dame, Indiana,...
opened as a private university, in 1989. the two remain Australia's only private universities.
Melbourne University, a public university, owned a private university called Melbourne University Private
Melbourne University Private
Melbourne University Private was a private university spinoff founded by the University of Melbourne in Australia, which operated from July 1998 to 2005. It was designed as a profit making venture, independent of as much government control as possible, in an attempt to maneuver around some of the...
from 1998 to 2005. The private university was not successful, losing A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
20,000,000 over its lifetime.
External links
------------------------http://www.commonlii.org/bd/legis/num_act/pua1992257/ Private Universities Act 1992 - Bangladesh
http://www.university-directory.eu/Pakistan/University-Grants-Commission-UGC.html Higher Education Commission - Pakistan
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third_level_education/fees_and_supports_for_third_level_education/fees.html free-fees initiative - Ireland
http://www.heca.ie/ Higher Education Colleges Association- Ireland