Sacred Heart University Shuts Down Its Luxembourg Campus

Sunset for SHU Luxembourg

 

Sacred Heart University Shuts Down Its Luxembourg Campus

On March 14, 1990, while I was Consul General of Luxembourg in New York, I received two visitors: Dr Pete Fairbough and Dr Richard Farmer from Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT. They enquired about the possibility to establish an MBA Program in Luxembourg.

The Luxembourg Government’s official policy at the time was that Luxembourg didn't want a university on its territory. Forcing Luxembourg students to go study abroad was seen as a good thing promoting world openness and diverse sources of learning at the neighbors.

Knowing the hurdles, and to circumvent various oppositions, we went the extra mile to make it happen. Pete Fairbaugh wrote his dissertation in 1995 for his Degree of Doctor of Education on the development of the MBA program in Luxembourg. As expected, the project encountered some hostility, among others and surprisingly from the Ministry of Education headed by a Christian Social Minister, Marc Fischbach.

In the meantime, as a Trustee emeritus of Sacred Heart University, I’m surprised by the secrecy and suddenness of the decision, but even more by the decision at all. Secrecy and surprise are generally used if conflict can be expected. I take it that there was no unanimity at the Board. The decision by itself is on weak footing: the program was a success confirmed over 30 years. It had its European roots and flavors in one of the European capitals, and it allowed hundreds of students to graduate from a program that put students and faculty face to face. Attending online courses via SHU Fairfield CT doesn’t sound more exciting than attending an Ohio University or University of Phoenix MBA. Competing on price? The Luxembourg angle put Sacred Heart University in a unique position.

So why step back from a proven and unique model now? Access to the Luxembourg government, difficult in the early days, had become a privilege, now that so many of its members are Dr hc of Sacred Heart University. The question then remains, who took this decision and why? It doesn’t seem to measure up to a level of an MBA graduate.

And a final word: why didn’t SHU give a one-year notice of the shutdown, acknowledging some financial responsibility? It is certainly not fair to push the consequences on the students. SHU could have not accepted new first year students and allow for an orderly shut down next year when the last students graduate.

Egide Thein, Trustee emeritus of Sacred Heart University.