Designing Successful Short-Term Study Abroad Programs for

Business Students CIBER Short-Term Study Abroad Conference

June 4, 2010Kansas City, MO

Mary M. Dwyer, Ph.D.President/CEO, IES ABROAD

U.S. Study Abroad Trends - Enrollments

Source: Institute of International Education, Open Doors Report 2009 (www.opendoors.iienetwork.org)

65,000

262,416

U.S. Students of Business & Management

Source: Institute of International Education, Open Doors Report 2009 (www.opendoors.iienetwork.org)

20% of US Students studying abroad are

Business majors; over 130% increase in 10 years

U.S. Study Abroad Trends - Destinations

Source: Institute of International Education, Open Doors Report 2009 (www.opendoors.iienetwork.org)

Europe remains the top

destination of US students for study abroad

Asia has seen greatest growth as a destination of US Students

for study abroad

U.S. Study Abroad Trends – Duration of Study

Source: Institute of International Education, Open Doors Report 2009 (www.opendoors.iienetwork.org)

45% of US Students study abroad for less than an academic quarter

Financial Complexities in Study Abroad

Currency movements and inflation have huge impact U.S. Campus policies regarding SA pricing U.S. Campus loss of revenue Study Abroad pricing increases have outpaced the CPI

and HEPI since 2000 Higher Education price increases have grown at a

faster pace than Study Abroad for decades

Market Complexities in Study Abroad

Highly volatile, fragmented market term to term and year to year

Must recruit 100% of participants every term Legal liabilities higher on faculty-led programs Faculty-led programs difficult to sustain

The Positives of Short-Term Programs

Designed to fit your curriculum Enhances on-campus instruction Can outsource implementation Can fit your university’s academic calendar If summer program, does not impact campus revenue

or financial aid transfer Can tailor program to your students’ budgets Represents a faculty development opportunity One method for internationalizing campus curriculum Exposes students who would not have studied abroad

for a semester to other cultures

The Negatives of Short-Term Programs Without External Support

Limited cultural immersion Market size at a single university is limited Colleges lack site-specific knowledge of vendors to

arrange logistics Time-consuming to arrange endless logistics Time-consuming to market program Time-consuming to recruit students Must be attentive to legal, health, safety issues that are

not faculty responsibilities on campus Faculty have full responsibility for pre-departure

preparation, on-site implementation and preparing students for re-entry

Study Abroad Program Considerations

A strong academic framework that attracts students and engages faculty

Program development in conjunction with area experts and on-site, local staff.

A positive environment for a true intercultural experience Quality resources, reliable suppliers, student housing and classrooms

and accommodations conducive to a successful experience On-site support for student health, safety, personal, and disciplinary

issues. An existing, experienced crisis management framework Health, repatriation, medical, and security evacuation insurance Academic support services, including access to computers and

libraries Full liability coverage of local staff and facilities Post-program evaluation

Program Elements

Guest lectures from faculty at local business schools/in the business department

Guest lecturers from local business leaders Business visits (banks, stock exchange, marketing companies, NGOs, both

international and local businesses, manufacturing plants, Chamber of Commerce, etc.)

Enrollment in classes at overseas University tied to business if possible Ability to interact with local business students – arranging for an outing in

conjunction with local students studying business Excursions specific to academic content (such as Pirelli Tire Company,

Ferrari, and Fiat in Italy; Yi Wu visit from Shanghai for sock manufacturing; talking to vendors at local markets, etc.

Homestays so that students learn the culture of the country they are visiting

Offering a business language course Offering cultural field trips tied to program content

3C x 3D Framework

Curriculum Co-Curriculum Community

Cognitive

Interpersonal

Intrapersonal

3-D = Three Dimensions of Holistic Student Development

Cognitive: knowledge of different cultural perspectives and beliefs

Interpersonal: directed outward to interactions and relationships with others

Intrapersonal: directed inward to values, self-identity, self-understanding

Cognitive Dimension

Recognize different cultural perspectives, beliefs, social customs

Understand role of cultural differences in global relationships

Interpret own cultural background with greater specificity

Integrate new knowledge

“3-C” Framework of Educational Experiences/Means

Curriculum: courses and pedagogy Co-curriculum: planned activities outside the

classroom that foster student development Community: interactions with IES Center staff,

faculty and local residents

Sample Business Programs

University of Minnesota/IES Abroad and Berlin School of Economics

Business in Berlin Program

Semester long Economics Course and German culture course at IES Center Other business courses through the Berlin School of Economics (BSE) No language required; Language courses at BSE Co-curricular opportunities arranged to engage residents, culture and

business community of Germany Internships Day-long excursions to Dresden and Potsdam All students live in German homes

Sample Business Programs

Miami University of Ohio Farmer School of Business/IES Abroad

Business and Finance Summer Program in Luxembourg and Barcelona

6-week program offers 8 credit hours in business-specific courses Intro to the European business environment Structured in two sections that change places Group 1 – Begins in Luxembourg studying at the John E. Dolibois

European Center of Miami University Group 2 – Begins at the IES Abroad Barcelona Center with courses taught

by MU faculty Halfway through the six week program, groups trade locations In Barcelona – Comprehensive orientation, classroom space, homestays

for students, housing for MU faculty, visits to local businesses and cultural activities are arranged by IES.

Sample Business Programs

Babson College/IES AbroadEmerging Markets and Economies BRIC Program in

Russia, India and China Semester long 1 month spent in each country Courses designed and taught by Babson faculty Meetings with business and academic leaders and government officials regarding

the changing global business landscapes Field trips, visits to local businesses and daily interaction with local residents IES Abroad provides guest lectures/local site visits, student and faculty housing and

classrooms Field trip to the Great Wall and an overnight stay in a rural Chinese village In-depth visit to a distribution center in China Commercial and financial ventures visits arranged in China and India to look at

infrastructure of expanding markets

Sample Business Programs

University of Tennessee Knoxville/IES AbroadInternational Business Program

6 credit hours; 4 weeks duration Course 1: Real-world study of negotiations and bargaining for global trade and

commercial endeavors (UT faculty teaches) Course 2: German language (taught by IES faculty) Traveling program headquartered in Freiburg Visits and field trips:

Local Businesses The United Nations and the World Trade Organization in Geneva The European Union Parliament in Strasbourg 3-day excursion to Paris Hiking trip in the Black Forest

Classroom space, student and faculty housing On-site staff support/health and safety/crisis management

Thank You!

Questions? Comments?