Global Business Center awarded $1.55 million grant from U.S. Department of Education

The University of Washington Global Business Center has secured a $1.55 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.  Housed at the Michael G. Foster School of Business, the Global Business Center is one of 33 federally-designated Centers for International Business Education & Research (CIBERs) at leading business schools around the U.S.  The CIBERs were created by Congress in 1988 to increase and promote the nation’s capacity for international understanding and competitiveness.

The Global Business Center will draw on the strengths of the UW and the Foster School of Business with 32 new initiatives over the next four years to address global issues of particular importance to the Pacific Northwest region, such as global development, trade and the environment, and the intersections between trade and global health.  Examples of new initiatives include:

• Hosting a workshop for small- and medium-sized businesses in the Pacific Northwest to interact and learn best practices for doing business in China.
• Organizing national conferences to address 21st century challenges such as “Climate Change and Trade,” and “Global Health and the World Economy.”
• Collaborating with CIBERs at Duke, Florida International, North Carolina, and Purdue to deliver an annual conference series on enhancing U.S. competitiveness by stimulating a “new energy-based economy.”

The four-year CIBER grant will also allow the Global Business Center to build on its core competency of delivering outstanding student programs such as MBA Global Business Study Tours, the nationally-ranked undergraduate Certificate of International Studies in Business, the Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition, and the Global Business Case Competition.

“Receiving the CIBER grant is validation of the incredible work being done by our Global Business Center,” said James Jiambalvo, dean of the Foster School of Business. “Global Business education is critical to the future success of our students and to U.S. competitiveness.  And creating learning opportunities that build global business expertise is a top priority of the Foster School.”

Under the leadership of Dr. Debra Glassman and Director Kirsten Aoyama, the Global Business Center directly benefits over 6,000 individuals annually with programs that serve students, faculty, and the community. As a result of its current efforts, 30 percent of Foster School undergraduates study abroad each year. By 2014, the center plans to increase that number to 50 percent. Nationally, only 10.1 percent of college undergraduates study abroad. 46 percent of Foster School MBA students study abroad each year through Global Business Center study tour and exchange programs.

The UW Global Business Center is one of 33 CIBER grant recipients nationwide and will celebrate 20 years of continual innovation in global business education in the fall of 2010.