MBAs solving real-world challenges for global clients
The Global Business Project (GBP) is a unique action-based learning course for MBAs that includes:
- MBAs from multiple business, cultural, and university environments working with corporate executives to solve a business challenge
- Teams working virtually first in the US and then on the ground in Brazil, China or India
- Actionable recommendations, professionally presented
This one of a kind program provides benefits for Clients and MBAs.
Learn more about what we do.
For Clients, benefits include:
- High quality, fact-based recommendations from an outside perspective on a business challenge
- Access to the world's best and brightest MBAs from multiple schools and countries for evaluation as interns and full-time employees and as ambassadors back to consortium schools
For MBAs, benefits include:
- International business experience to complement their existing work and academic experience
- Access to companies that recruit MBAs
- Opportunity to work with fellow MBAs from different backgrounds, different countries and different schools in a virtual and face-to-face team setting
- Exposure to consulting skills and frameworks
The course/projects begin with a GBP Launch Weekend the second weekend in February in Washington, DC for all students, clients and faculty. Students do independent pre-Kick Off work until mid-March, then step up their virtual team work through the early part of May, and finish their consulting projects with two weeks of full-time on the ground teamwork in the host country from May 19-30.
Teams are constructed through a competitive application process with members drawn from any of the member consortium schools.
How a Client qualifies to participate:
- Submits a corporate challenge that can benefit from a fresh perspective provided by an MBA team that collectively has experience in the country, the industry, and the focus of the project
- Provides senior executives to work with the team to ensure success
- Contributes a per project fee to offset program costs, plus covers all project-related expenses of the team and faculty advisor during the two weeks in the GBP host country from May 19-30, and the international round-trip airfare for the faculty advisor.
How a Student qualifies to participate:
- Submits a compelling application and is nominated by his/her school's GBP consortium representative
- Pledges to do top-quality work for credit, putting in time and effort equivalent to the most demanding MBA class spanning 15 weeks of the academic year
- Agrees to engage in all face-to-face and virtual meetings, including the Launch Weekend February 7-9 in Washington, DC, the Hub City Weekend in-country May 16-18, and May 19-30 in the GBP host country.
Applications
Client Application - online applications are being accepted now through
October 15, 2013.
Client companies requesting more information, please contact Dr. Lynne Gerber, GBP Program Director, at or (1) 919-962-2684
Student Application
Student online e-applications will be accepted October 1 – November 1, 2013.*
*Please check with your GBP Representative to confirm the deadline for your school (some schools do set earlier deadlines).
For more information, and to find out when your school's information session will be held, contact your school's GBP representative or GBP Program Manager Debbie Williams at
The course is funded in part by the Centers for International Business Education and Research (CIBERs) at the member institutions, the US Department of Education, and by participating clients and students.
GBP member institutions: UNC-Chapel Hill, Columbia, Connecticut, George Washington, Maryland, Miami, Purdue, Pittsburgh, San Diego State, Temple, Wisconsin and UNISINOS.