“The bottom line is just everyone one of our partners … were just absolutely, uniformly supportive,” Hudzik said.

Economic troubles in Dubai and the world have changed the course for the future
of MSU Dubai slightly, he said.

“Clearly, we can’t be thinking about expansion and growth in quite the same time frame,” Hudzik said.

Simon said the trip allowed her to gain a sense of the status of the campus, to gauge the support of partners in Dubai and to look at future planning for the campus.

New partners in the region will be considered, she said.

“The economic situation requires us to recognize the continuing commitment of our existing partners … but broaden that base of partnership,” she said.

Simon did not specify who those partners could be.

Additional plans to increase enrollment numbers without sacrificing academic standards are being pursued, Simon said.

MSU Dubai will expand the acceptance of transfer students, Hudzik said. It also could spark enrollment at MSU Dubai through the MSU Dubai Academy, which is a new school in the region that intends to prepare students for an American university education.

“The academy will become a very important feeder system to MSU Dubai,” he said.

Regional recruitment also will be expanded to reach Pakistan and India, Hudzik said.

“It’s just like here,” he said. “You don’t expect a big surge in (enrollment) numbers mid-year. … The real test, of course, will be next fall’s admission. … You really don’t know with any degree of seriousness what the fall class is going to look like until about June or July sometimes.”

MSU Provost Kim Wilcox will travel to Dubai in January. He will meet with Brendan Mullan, executive director of MSU Dubai, faculty and the National Research Foundation of the (United Arab Emirates), among others, to discuss research programming.

Wilcox said MSU’s partners in the region are not backing out.

“Economic problems everywhere are affecting everyone,” he said. “Our partners continue to be supportive of what we’re doing.”

Economic troubles in Michigan are comparable to those in Dubai, Simon said.

“I’m no more worried about MSU Dubai than I am MSU in East Lansing,” she said. “There’s nothing that puts Dubai at the top of the list.”

Staff writer Zane McMillin contributed to this report.