Posted: Thursday, May 30, 2013

Seven University of Evansville students started the summer with a unique study-abroad opportunity: a two-week Contemporary European Business Issues course in the United Kingdom and Turkey.

Led by Omer Bayar, UE assistant professor of economics, the course ran from May 2-17 and allowed students to experience and examine cultural differences and their impact on business practices in Europe.

The course included on-site corporate visits, guest speakers, and cultural visits. In the United Kingdom, students visited sites including Buckingham Palace, Parliament/House of Commons, the British Museum, Harlaxton Manor (home to UE’s British campus, Harlaxton College), the Bank of England Museum, the European Commission, SS&C Technologies, and Land Rover. In Turkey, site visits included the Hagia Sofia, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, Dolmabahce Palace, Karadeniz Holding, and Eczacibasi Vitra.

The course focused on the current state of the European Union and economic conditions, as well as the factors that affect the business climate in these countries and their interconnections with the rest of the world. Students heard firsthand from executives who are navigating today’s challenging global business environment, and learned about specific strategies firms are taking in order to retain and increase their global competitiveness.

"This course was intellectually stimulating and eye-opening. It brings real-world experiences into perspective far more than a typical course," said Dustin Dubay, a student at Maine's Husson University who participated in the program. "Through the company visits, tours of the cities, and experiential learning, I developed a larger global perspective and have a broader appreciation for other parts of the world. This was one of the best experiences of my life, and I would recommend it for anyone!"

"What I learned on this trip can't really be bought with tuition money or learned in a classroom," added UE student Andrew Waldron, an economics major from Marion, Illinois. "The experiences I've had and the connections I've made via this program are of nameless value. I know that I am not only a better candidate for employment in the modern business world, but I am also a more culturally aware person."

Students completing the course were UE's Zeyad Alawadhi, Nathan Edmiston, Naomi Garcia, Cory Hart, Veronica Jackson, Jordan Kendrick, and Andrew Waldron, and Dustin Dubay of Husson University.

This program was made possible in part by the generous support of the Lilly Endowment.

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