On Friday, March 29, NYU President John Sexton announced plans to place the next NYU portal campus in Antarctica.

With the completion of this campus, NYU will have locations on every continent.

“It has been my goal to expand throughout the whole world,” Sexton said in a press release. “Now we will be able to say we are present on all seven continents.”

The campus will be located in the Australian-owned region of Antarctica, as the United States does not own a region of the continent.

Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard expressed the country’s approval of the NYU expansion plan.

“With the success of NYU Sydney, we are pleased to work with NYU again to welcome students to Antarctica,” Gillard said in a press release.

The campus is intended to open for the fall semester of 2015, with the application process opening in 2014. Students will have the option to study abroad in Antarctica for a semester or a full year.

While the weather may concern some students, NYU spokesman John Beckman assured students that the campus will provide all necessities to live safely in such a cold environment.

“The campus will be similar to the scientific bases that are occupied year round,” Beckman said. “Additionally, the summer in Antarctica occurs between November and April.”

The fall semester would start just before the Antarctic summer and the spring semester would end right after.

Professor of environmental studies Jennifer Jacquet recognized the research opportunities that Antarctica offers.

“Students studying marine biology, geology, climatology or other related fields should strongly consider advancing their research at this location,” Jacquet said.

Critics of the NYU Global Network University question how the university can afford to put a campus in Antarctica.

“Sexton has not made it clear how NYU will pay for another campus,” said Rebecca Karl, an associate professor of East Asian studies and history. “We cannot keep expanding when we still have problems to fix here in New York City.”

Tisch sophomore Hannah Horvath is also skeptical of the reasoning behind building the campus.

“I think this is simply a pride booster for Sexton,” Horvath said. “He just wants to say he has conquered the whole world.”

However, Gallatin freshman Sarah Bell said the Antarctic campus would offer a unique experience.

“Antarctica is vastly different from any of the other abroad locations,” Bell said. “Where else can you live alongside penguins?”

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, April 1 print edition. Penelope Garcia is technical analyst. Email her at [email protected].