Texas Tech University will soon be surrounded by paradise. That may sound strange to say about a college located in Lubbock, Texas, but the university announced Thursday that it plans to open up a campus in Costa Rica.
The campus, which is to be located on Avenida Escazú in San José province, is expected to be open in time for the Spring 2018 semester and will be designed to offer students credits toward undergraduate and graduate degrees. It will also be the university’s first degree-awarding satellite in a foreign country, serving students primarily from the region.
All classes will be taught in English, according to a Thursday news release from the university.
#TexasTech's first international campus has officially been established! #TTUCostaRica pic.twitter.com/SuZw8eF6Ng
— Texas Tech University 😷 (@TexasTech) August 11, 2016
“This collaboration with our partners in Costa Rica will increase access to a Texas Tech education for students in Costa Rica and Central America,” Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec said in the news release. “This project also supports the internationalization efforts at Texas Tech and advances our reputation and competitive position by preparing our graduates to live and work in different cultures.
Beyond the educational programs offered at Texas Tech University Costa Rica, there will be opportunities for our students and faculty to engage in international partnership and internships, research and study abroad.”
Program studies on the new campus will include electrical and industrial engineering, computer science and mathematics. Texas Tech will also offer programs in the hospitality fields with restaurant, hotel and institutional management classes.
The university news release said the decision to choose Costa Rica for its satellite campus was made because the country acts as a perfect gateway to the rest of Latin America from the United States. It also noted the country’s stability and the high number of multinational companies that operate here.
