With Harvard outposts popping up around the globe--the Harvard Business School, for example, runs one in Asia--the University hopes to find whole new markets of students and topics of research that were previously unavailable.
Centers examining Latin America, Asia, Korea, China and Russia have been formed, along with more broadly defined programs such as the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and the Center for International Development.
All of these have come with multi-million dollar price tags and have only been possible because of the success of the campaign.
University officials quickly point out that programs like their major academic initiatives mean that large portions of the campaign's billions have already been spent, and fundraising will have to begin again.
The real test for future drives will probably then bank on whether or not the investments Harvard has made in new projects with its campaign money will pay off.