George Mason University is studying whether to open a campus in South Korea that would be within a two-hour plane ride of one-third of the world's population.
Legislation authorizing the branch campus is to be signed by Gov. Bob McDonnell yesterday, with a market study on its feasibility to be competed this fall, GMU Provost Peter Stearns said.
The plan is to offer classes in social science, public administration and marketing starting in the fall of 2012 at the new Songdo Global University Campus, about an hour from Seoul.
The campus is accessible to about 2 billion people, Stearns said, and could draw students from countries such as China, Russia, Vietnam and Mongolia, in addition to South Korea and the United States.
A pilot program offering certificate-level courses in entrepreneurship is to begin this academic year, but the branch campus will require approval of the board of visitors after the study is completed, Stearns said.
GMU has received $1 million from Korea for planning and the market study.