International experience extended on the Lancaster MBA
Published 13 July 2010
From 2011, all students on the Lancaster Full-time MBA will head off from Lancaster to experience life in an unfamiliar developing economy as an integral part of their MBA programme.
The International Business in Context module, which revolves around an intensive one-week study tour, is to become a core module taken by all students on the full-time programme.
‘We’ve been running this module for several years now, as an optional elective for our full-time and Executive MBA students. We’ve seen the huge benefits they have gained from the experience, understanding other business contexts and also looking at their own business cultures and practice in a different light,’ said Chris Saunders, MBA Director.
South Africa 2010
This year the International Business in Context module took students to South Africa, just prior to the World Cup.
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The International Business in Context study tour takes place in early summer and is organised in conjunction with a host business school in the country being visited. Through sessions with academic experts, students learn about the prevailing economic and social conditions in the country. They also talk with local entrepreneurs and business leaders, and visit a range of local industries and organisations. To help them draw out the significance of what they are experiencing, they compile a reflective log during their stay and exchange experiences and insights in scheduled periods of reflection.
Students will be able to choose which of three different emerging economies they would like to visit – India, China or Poland.
‘Naturally, since we want students to experience something “new” and increase their cultural awareness, any student who comes from one of those three countries will be required to choose one of the other two,’ explained Programme Manager Julie Gabriel-Clarke. ‘The travel and accommodation costs for the module are built into our MBA programme fees.
‘It’s a natural extension of what we’ve been doing over a number of years to help students get as much international exposure as possible during their MBA,’ Julie added. ‘We already have a lot of international exchange programmes, with partner schools in Europe, Asia, Australasia and North America. Some students will also be doing their summer projects or internships abroad. But this module adds another really exciting dimension to the MBA and helps everyone to share in the learning.’
Executive MBA students will also be able to take part, though for them International Business in Context will remain an elective course.
