The United Arab Emirates is developing higher education institutions that will contribute to an educational sector providing premium degree programs. There was a belief that the recognition and achievements these institutions attained over decades in their native land would be transferable in the implementation of international branch campuses. This research project explores the sustainability of branch campuses in the uae and determines the factors contributing to their demise, struggles, or initial success while examining their mission, vision, and strategic plan, asking: Can institutions be successfully imported into the uae without adapting to their new social, cultural, and educational terrain?