Available exclusively to Undergraduate Business Program students, UNC Kenan-Flagler study abroad programs give you the overseas experience you want, with the valuable edge of a business focus. Transform the way you see the world, global business and yourself. Practice essential business competencies, expand your knowledge of how business is done around the world and gain the skills to lead across cultures. Find the right match for your personal, academic and career objectives in our portfolio of over 40 programs in over 20 countries.
Interested in going Global but not sure where to start - you've come to the right place!
Gain an understanding — in just a week or two — of the factors that shape business in a developing region.
Gain workplace skills and experience firsthand how business gets done in another country.
Exciting destinations, fascinating cultures, lively student experiences — and a focus on business.
Spend two to six transformative weeks learning how business gets done across countries and cultures.
Cross three continents over 18 months in this immersive program from three top business schools.
Use the filters below to find the best option for you.
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Internship: Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires | Argentina | Summer |
Montreal | Montreal | Argentina | Spring |
Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires | Argentina | Spring |
Internship: Mendoza | Mendoza | Argentina | Summer |
Internship: Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires | Argentina | Summer |
Universidad Torcuato di Tella | Buenos Aires | Argentina | Spring, Fall |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Puerto Rico | San Juan | United States | Fall |
Washington D.C. | Washington D.C. | United States | Spring |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Vienna University of Economics and Business | Vienna | Austria | Spring, Fall |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Portugal | Lisbon | Portugal | Summer |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Finland, Estonia, Iceland | Helsinki, Finland | Finland | Summer |
Aalto University School of Business | Espoo | Finland | Spring, Fall |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Bocconi University | Milan | Italy | Summer |
IES Abroad Milan | Milan | Italy | Spring, Fall |
Bocconi University | Milan | Italy | Spring, Fall |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Netherlands | Amsterdam, Rotterdam | Netherlands | Spring |
Netherlands | Amsterdam, Rotterdam | Netherlands | Spring |
Netherlands: Rotterdam School of Management | Rotterdam | Netherlands | Spring, Fall |
Maastricht U., Ctr for European St. | Maastricht | Netherlands | Spring, Fall |
CES Maastricht | Maastricht | Netherlands | Summer |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Barcelona SAE | Barcelona | Spain | Summer |
Spain: ESADE | Barcelona | Spain | Spring, Fall |
Spain: ICADE | Madrid | Spain | Spring, Fall |
Spain: IE University | Madrid | Spain | Spring, Fall |
Spain: University of Navarra | Pamplona | Spain | Spring, Fall |
Internship: Madrid | Madrid | Spain | Summer |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Thailand | Chiang Mai | Thailand | Spring |
Thailand: Thammasat Business School | Bangkok | Thailand | Spring, Fall |
Thailand: Chulalongkorn Business School | Bangkok | Thailand | Spring, Fall |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Cape Town | Cape Town | South Africa | Summer |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Global Academic Ventures: Internship and Study Semester in Asia Pacific | Sydney | Australia | Spring |
Internship: Sydney | Sydney | Australia | Summer |
University of New South Wales | Sydney | Australia | Spring, Fall |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Internship: Paris | France | France | Summer |
BBA-ESSEC | Cergy | France | Spring, Fall |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Singapore | Singapore | Singapore | Spring |
Singapore Management University | Singapore | Singapore | Summer |
Singapore Management University | Singapore | Singapore | Spring, Fall |
Singapore: Natl U. of Singapore Business School | Singapore | Singapore | Spring, Fall |
Internship: Singapore | Singapore | Summer |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Internship: Montevideo | Montevideo | Uruguay | Summer |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Internship: Auckland | Auckland | New Zealand | Summer |
New Zealand: University of Otago | Otago | New Zealand | Spring, Fall |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Budapest | Budapest | Hungary | Spring |
Corvinus University | Budapest | Hungary | Spring, Fall |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Colombia | Medellin | Colombia | Summer |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
University College Dublin Lochlann | Dublin | Ireland | Spring, Fall |
Internship: University College Dublin | Dublin | Ireland | Summer |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Copenhagen Business School | Copenhagen | Denmark | Spring, Fall |
Copenhagen Business School | Copenhagen | Denmark | Summer |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Chinese University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong | China | Spring, Summer, Fall |
Peking University Guanghua School of Management | Beijing | China | Spring, Summer, Fall |
Internship: Hong Kong | Hong Kong | China | Summer |
Chinese University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong | China | Summer |
Peking University Guanghua School of Management | Beijing | China | Summer |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management | Vallendar | Germany | Spring, Fall |
WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management | Vallendar | Germany | Summer |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
South Korea: Korea University Business School | Seoul | South Korea | Spring, Fall |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom: Alliance Manchester Bus. School | Manchester | United Kingdom | Spring, Fall |
London | London | United Kingdom | Summer |
London School of Economics | London | United Kingdom | Summer |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Internship: Prague | Prague | Czech Republic | Summer |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Internship: Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires | Argentina |
Montreal | Montreal | Argentina |
Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires | Argentina |
Internship: Mendoza | Mendoza | Argentina |
Internship: Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires | Argentina |
Universidad Torcuato di Tella | Buenos Aires | Argentina |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Puerto Rico | San Juan | United States |
Washington D.C. | Washington D.C. | United States |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Vienna University of Economics and Business | Vienna | Austria |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Portugal | Lisbon | Portugal |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Finland, Estonia, Iceland | Helsinki, Finland | Finland |
Aalto University School of Business | Espoo | Finland |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Bocconi University | Milan | Italy |
IES Abroad Milan | Milan | Italy |
Bocconi University | Milan | Italy |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Netherlands | Amsterdam, Rotterdam | Netherlands |
Netherlands | Amsterdam, Rotterdam | Netherlands |
Netherlands: Rotterdam School of Management | Rotterdam | Netherlands |
Maastricht U., Ctr for European St. | Maastricht | Netherlands |
CES Maastricht | Maastricht | Netherlands |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Barcelona SAE | Barcelona | Spain |
Spain: ESADE | Barcelona | Spain |
Spain: ICADE | Madrid | Spain |
Spain: IE University | Madrid | Spain |
Spain: University of Navarra | Pamplona | Spain |
Internship: Madrid | Madrid | Spain |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Thailand | Chiang Mai | Thailand |
Thailand: Thammasat Business School | Bangkok | Thailand |
Thailand: Chulalongkorn Business School | Bangkok | Thailand |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Cape Town | Cape Town | South Africa |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Global Academic Ventures: Internship and Study Semester in Asia Pacific | Sydney | Australia |
Internship: Sydney | Sydney | Australia |
University of New South Wales | Sydney | Australia |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Internship: Paris | France | France |
BBA-ESSEC | Cergy | France |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Singapore | Singapore | Singapore |
Singapore Management University | Singapore | Singapore |
Singapore Management University | Singapore | Singapore |
Singapore: Natl U. of Singapore Business School | Singapore | Singapore |
Internship: Singapore | Singapore |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Internship: Montevideo | Montevideo | Uruguay |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Internship: Auckland | Auckland | New Zealand |
New Zealand: University of Otago | Otago | New Zealand |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Budapest | Budapest | Hungary |
Corvinus University | Budapest | Hungary |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Colombia | Medellin | Colombia |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
University College Dublin Lochlann | Dublin | Ireland |
Internship: University College Dublin | Dublin | Ireland |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Copenhagen Business School | Copenhagen | Denmark |
Copenhagen Business School | Copenhagen | Denmark |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Chinese University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong | China |
Peking University Guanghua School of Management | Beijing | China |
Internship: Hong Kong | Hong Kong | China |
Chinese University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong | China |
Peking University Guanghua School of Management | Beijing | China |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management | Vallendar | Germany |
WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management | Vallendar | Germany |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
South Korea: Korea University Business School | Seoul | South Korea |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom: Alliance Manchester Bus. School | Manchester | United Kingdom |
London | London | United Kingdom |
London School of Economics | London | United Kingdom |
Program Name | City | Country |
---|---|---|
Internship: Prague | Prague | Czech Republic |
Program Name | City | Country | Program Term |
---|---|---|---|
Internship: Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires | Argentina | Summer |
Puerto Rico | San Juan | United States | Fall |
Vienna University of Economics and Business | Vienna | Austria | Spring, Fall |
Portugal | Lisbon | Portugal | Summer |
Finland, Estonia, Iceland | Helsinki, Finland | Finland | Summer |
Bocconi University | Milan | Italy | Summer |
Netherlands | Amsterdam, Rotterdam | Netherlands | Spring |
Barcelona SAE | Barcelona | Spain | Summer |
Thailand | Chiang Mai | Thailand | Spring |
Cape Town | Cape Town | South Africa | Summer |
Global Academic Ventures: Internship and Study Semester in Asia Pacific | Sydney | Australia | Spring |
Washington D.C. | Washington D.C. | United States | Spring |
Internship: Paris | France | France | Summer |
Netherlands | Amsterdam, Rotterdam | Netherlands | Spring |
Singapore | Singapore | Singapore | Spring |
Montreal | Montreal | Argentina | Spring |
Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires | Argentina | Spring |
Internship: Montevideo | Montevideo | Uruguay | Summer |
Internship: Auckland | Auckland | New Zealand | Summer |
Internship: Sydney | Sydney | Australia | Summer |
Internship: Mendoza | Mendoza | Argentina | Summer |
Internship: Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires | Argentina | Summer |
Budapest | Budapest | Hungary | Spring |
IES Abroad Milan | Milan | Italy | Spring, Fall |
Singapore Management University | Singapore | Singapore | Summer |
Singapore Management University | Singapore | Singapore | Spring, Fall |
Universidad Torcuato di Tella | Buenos Aires | Argentina | Spring, Fall |
Colombia | Medellin | Colombia | Summer |
Corvinus University | Budapest | Hungary | Spring, Fall |
University College Dublin Lochlann | Dublin | Ireland | Spring, Fall |
Copenhagen Business School | Copenhagen | Denmark | Spring, Fall |
University of New South Wales | Sydney | Australia | Spring, Fall |
Chinese University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong | China | Spring, Summer, Fall |
Peking University Guanghua School of Management | Beijing | China | Spring, Summer, Fall |
Aalto University School of Business | Espoo | Finland | Spring, Fall |
BBA-ESSEC | Cergy | France | Spring, Fall |
WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management | Vallendar | Germany | Spring, Fall |
Netherlands: Rotterdam School of Management | Rotterdam | Netherlands | Spring, Fall |
Bocconi University | Milan | Italy | Spring, Fall |
Maastricht U., Ctr for European St. | Maastricht | Netherlands | Spring, Fall |
New Zealand: University of Otago | Otago | New Zealand | Spring, Fall |
Singapore: Natl U. of Singapore Business School | Singapore | Singapore | Spring, Fall |
South Korea: Korea University Business School | Seoul | South Korea | Spring, Fall |
Thailand: Thammasat Business School | Bangkok | Thailand | Spring, Fall |
Spain: ESADE | Barcelona | Spain | Spring, Fall |
Spain: ICADE | Madrid | Spain | Spring, Fall |
Spain: IE University | Madrid | Spain | Spring, Fall |
Spain: University of Navarra | Pamplona | Spain | Spring, Fall |
Thailand: Chulalongkorn Business School | Bangkok | Thailand | Spring, Fall |
United Kingdom: Alliance Manchester Bus. School | Manchester | United Kingdom | Spring, Fall |
London | London | United Kingdom | Summer |
Internship: Madrid | Madrid | Spain | Summer |
Internship: Prague | Prague | Czech Republic | Summer |
Internship: Hong Kong | Hong Kong | China | Summer |
Internship: Singapore | Singapore | Summer | |
Chinese University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong | China | Summer |
CES Maastricht | Maastricht | Netherlands | Summer |
Copenhagen Business School | Copenhagen | Denmark | Summer |
Peking University Guanghua School of Management | Beijing | China | Summer |
WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management | Vallendar | Germany | Summer |
London School of Economics | London | United Kingdom | Summer |
Internship: University College Dublin | Dublin | Ireland | Summer |
(Use the filters to narrow your search, then select a photo to read the story.)
Find a global story you can relate to. While their experiences abroad vary just as much as their career interests, the global programs alums below have one thing in common – they were once searching for the right global experience, just like you.
To broaden her perspective beyond her Chapel Hill hometown, Lexi Tammi wanted to study abroad. She she chose a summer abroad program in Denmark through UNC Kenan-Flagler’s partnership with Copenhagen Business School.
As she planned for being abroad, Tammi recognized the stress of leaving the familiar and moving to a new country where she would she would navigate a new language, a new culture and even a new currency. “Living basically alone in a foreign country can be hard, but by trial and error I learned how to maximize my time there, cook for one person, manage public transportation, and enjoy the world around me,” she says.
Tammi also learned about differences between the Danish and Americans when it comes to business, “Americans take a very interesting approach to business: Work all day, come home and work some more,” she says. In Denmark, many businesses close around 3 p.m. and only open a few days a week.
“You have to adjust your expectations based on where you are and understand that not everyone does things the same way you do,” she says. “My global experience showed me that empathy to others’ perspectives is the most important business skill.”
Before traveling, Tammi recommends planning for potential scenarios that could come up while abroad. For example, to keep healthy and fit, discuss your study plans with your doctor and develop strategies to manage your healthcare needs while abroad.
For business school students who are thinking about studying abroad, she has some advice: “Fear can hold you back from trying new things, but I say you should just go for it. My advice to any future students interested in global programs is that you are strong and you can do hard things. It’s better to try something uncertain than live with the regret of never trying.”
Independence and personal growth are key takeaways for Lindsay Larkin from her international internship in London and a semester study abroad in Sydney – opportunities she experienced through UNC Kenan-Flagler’s global programs.
“I chose London to gain international work experience, and a semester in Sydney to explore a new part of the world and open my mind to new perspectives. I’ve always wanted to work in another country and hope, at some point in my career, to move to London. Trying it out was a perfect opportunity for me,” Larkin says.
After graduating in May 2021, Larkin joined a global company based in Germany that emphasizes its global network in all aspects of its business. “By having global experiences myself, I can relate to clients from around the world better and utilized my experiences through the interview process,” she says.
“Jump wholeheartedly into every opportunity,” she advises students. “College is the best time in your life to get out of your comfort zone and try something new. With the help and support of UNC Kenan-Flagler, even if studying abroad doesn’t seem like an option, if it is something you want to do, they can help you make it happen.”
Michelle Nandi’s semester abroad at IE Business School in Madrid helped her realize she is very good at adapting and making new friends. Other exchange students and local friends supported as she navigated the challenges of studying abroad.
Nandi, who identifies as a student of color, was intentional about choosing a city that has a higher population of Black people. Her advice for students of color: “Consider how comfortable you are with diversity/non-diversity in selecting your global program’s location.”
She has additional advice for students interested in a global program. “Do it! If you’re not sure how to choose, rank the programs on city language (how well you know the local language), mobility (how easy it is to get around the city), and the rest is your choosing.”
As a first-year Assured Admit business major at UNC Kenan-Flagler, Nicholas Osborne was offered a unique opportunity to participate on a Global Immersion Elective (GIE) to Cape Town, South Africa. The program, which consists of classes in Chapel Hill, followed by an in country experience in Cape Town, moved to virtual in March 2020 after COVID prevented in-country travel.
Osborne and his classmates had been learning about and preparing to travel to Cape Town for months when COVID prevented the in-country experience. The class moved to a virtual format so they could still engage with South African business leaders and faculty members.
Osborne has travelled outside of the U.S. and experienced different cultures prior to his experience on this program and appreciates gaining a broader perspective as a benefits of travel.
“This particular GIE had an emphasis on leadership growth, which allowed me to reflect on my personal leadership style and skills,” he says. “Through this process, I was able to better understand my leadership strengths and weaknesses as well as practices that I can implement.”
Osborne expects to apply what he learned from this GIE in his future career. “As the world becomes a more interconnected place, it is becoming more and more of a necessity to be culturally fluent, which can most effectively be achieved by learning and working in a different environment.”
“The global programs that UNC Kenan-Flagler are top-of-the line classes taught by amazing professors that are bound to be a great experience,” he says. “Even this semester and the transition online, my professor worked extremely hard to provide an experience that would have a lasting impact.”
Amit Parikh’s perspective as a double major in Business and Computer Science, and a Statistics Minor may be of particular interest to other STEM students – “ As a student in STEM, there is a lot of pressure to focus on building up technical, hard skills that will be attractive to prospective employers and useful in future jobs. The South Africa GIE was a nice change of pace in its focus on design thinking, which has helped me become a more creative problem solver and helped me assess problems from multiple perspectives. Working with people across the world (in South Africa) with extremely different backgrounds than my own also gave me a lot of confidence in my ability to collaborate with others on any kind of project. The technical skills and scientific knowledge that I’ve gained as a STEM major will definitely help me in my future career; however, I think that creativity and adaptability will be just as important. It will allow me to find unique, new applications for my skills so that I can have an innovative and exciting career. Though still early on, I’ve already felt this benefit in my summer internship as I’ve been able to come up with multiple ways of tackling complex, unstructured tasks.”
Parikh offers these words of advice for students who may be wondering about identity and GIEs, “Don’t worry about if your identity will be a barrier in the GIE or won’t allow you to maximize your experience from the GIE, because it won’t. GIE programs aren’t only for any specific kinds of people, they’re right for anyone. They bring a cohort of students with diverse backgrounds. You’ll really gain a deeper understanding of your classmates’ backgrounds, and they’ll enhance your overall experience by a ton. Even though I won’t be able to take classes from every department while at UNC, working with my cohort mates gave me so many diverse perspectives, not to mention everything you’ll gain from the people in the country you’re visiting.”
In terms of the class structure and takeaways, Parikh offers this, “I was used to thinking about problems through a structured process and arriving at a “correct” answer. The GIE wasn’t as binary in having “right” and “wrong” answers, but instead pushed us to critically think and reflect as much as possible. Not being accustomed to this type of class style didn’t make the class hard or stressful though. Instead, it provided me with a unique, necessary academic experience that I may not have experienced otherwise.”
Working on a global team can be one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences during college and in the workplace. Whitney Galindo flexed her problem-solving skills as part of her Virtual Global Elective Immersion (GIE) at UNC Kenan-Flagler. Galindo worked as part of an international team comprised of four students from UNC Kenan-Flagler and Corvinus University in Budapest to consult for an Eastern European startup company focused on combatting food waste.
Galindo’s personal experience of growing up in a Hispanic household helped her build connections with Hungarian teammates she worked with virtually for the entire course. “ I believe my identity allowed me to open myself up to understanding our Hungarian counterparts’ culture,” she says, “and better connect with them.”
Galindo tied her global teamwork experience on this program with her professional aspirations. Working with an international team helped her “better understand how to collaborate with people from different cultures, in different time zones, and with different ways of doing things. I look forward to working on diverse and international teams in my future career.”
Reflecting on the GIE, Galindo says it “helped me realize that I had been biased towards seeing the world from an American point of view, and also encouraged me to see myself as someone who can creatively use problem-solving skills.”
Grayson Hinnant chose the virtual Hungary Global Immersion Elective (GIE) on Hungary, for many reasons.
He wanted to get experience that directly lines up with his career interests in consulting. “I chose to participate in this program partially because it was one of the few opportunities I knew I would have at getting ‘global’ experience as an undergrad (especially with biomedical engineering’s rigorous curriculum),” he says, “but also because I wanted to have some real-world consulting experience as I approach the full-time consulting recruiting process.”
This GIE experience involved working as an international team with students from UNC Kenan-Flagler and Corvinus University in Budapest, Hungary. In teams of four, students worked on a consulting project with an Eastern European startup dedicated to reducing restaurant food waste.
Working as part of a virtual international team can be challenging and offers students the opportunity to apply their classroom learning to a real-world situation. “I am confident that I was able to strengthen my soft skills, particularly ones rooted in working in an international team setting and virtual presentation skills,” he says. “Being able to work with an actual client has prepared me for my future career. Knowing when and how to ask thought provoking questions is a skill that I know consultants have to be comfortable doing, and this GIE definitely granted me with this type of experience.”
What’s Hinnant’s advice to students who might want to participate on a global program?
“I recommend you keep a journal so you can keep track of your experiences throughout,” he says. “I recorded key things I noticed in team and class meetings and was able to synthesize them at the end of the semester. When I looked back over my journal, I was able to realize the level of growth I actually had during the course.”
Jason Cowan chose to participate in a UNC Kenan-Flagler global Program for two distinctly different reasons: “A cutting-edge 21st century education is stretching yourself by leaving your comfort zone and immersing yourself in other cultures. Studying abroad was the most natural way to achieve them both.”
He spent a semester studying at the Univeristy of New South Wales in Sydney.
Living off campus proved to be a key part of his experience, and his roommates became the closest friends that he made abroad. “My flatmates were my strongest support system in Australia,” he says. “Because they were previous UNSW students, they were able to help me navigate the class registration process, campus organizations and even guide me to the best spots in Sydney. Connecting with the people I lived with was invaluable.”
Identities have an impact on experiences abroad and for Cowan, a person of color, it was “startling at first being an African-American in Australia.”
“I thought about my race substantially less while I was in Australia. There was a dearth of overt white supremacy and I felt no pressure to conform,” he says. “If community among African-Americans is important to you, try to find Black-Australian friends prior to your arrival.”
Reflecting on his study abroad experience, Cowan has “a much much deeper understanding and appreciation for foreign cultures,” he says. The experience explosed him “to the differing interests and geopolitical alliances that other countries have compared to America. Debating with Chinese and Australian business students taught me the importance of considering others’ perspectives and tolerating differing points of view.”
Aubrie Barnhart originally planned to spend a semester studying abroad on a UNC Kenan-Flagler global program. Unfortunately, COVID made that impossible.
Barnhart shifted her thinking and decided to participate in a virtual Global Immersion Elective (GIE). “I had business communication class with Professor Michael Meredith in fall 2020, and when I heard he was doing a virtual GIE, I really wanted to be a part of it,” she says. “I knew that any sort of global experience would be better than nothing.”
Meredith taught the virtual GIE experience in Hungary in parntership with Corvinus University in Budapest, Hungary. Students from each university worked as part of international teams to solve business challenges facing an Eastern European startup s committed to reducing restaurants’ food.
As Barnhart discovered, working as part of an international virtual team offers many lesssons. “I learned a lot about my learning style and how I work in groups,” she says. “My beliefs about structural aspects like leadership and meeting agendas changed a lot while seeing how different cultures work very differently. I loved getting to know my Hungarian colleagues and learning about their education experiences and their lives.”
The experience helped prepare her for global teams in the workplace, she says. “I now have a better context of how global teams work, the differences in group styles abroad, and what crosscultural business activities look like. While this may look different in other situations, I have a toolbox of knowledge on how to approach these types of interactions.”
Barnhart fully embraced the virtual global learning opportunity, and encourages her peers to do the same. “Even if it isn’t exactly what you anticipated or hoped for in terms of format, make the most of your time! Stretch yourself, be open to new experiences and exploring places you had not thought of before. Whatever you decide to do, go in open minded and ready to bring you’re A-game. You will get the best results by fully diving in!”
For Austin Paschall, the opportunity to travel with classmates to Cape Town, South Africa, was a way to blend his love to travel with his passion for business. The Asssured Admit Global Immersion Elective (GIE) takes students on a learning journey of inclusive leadership, inclusive business and social entreneurship by exploring the culture, history and business of South Africa.
The class explored Nelson Mandela’s leadership style as well as their own leadership aspirations.
“I learned a tremendous amount, but the most beneficial is what I learned about myself and the type of leader that I want to be. It is one thing to be what you think a leader is, but the true test is whether you are able to translate that to different space,” he says. “Respect, courage, compassion, these are some of the traits that translate across country lines. You have to go in with an open mind. You can’t have perceived conceived notions. I actively practiced this concept and it was liberating because I was able to learn a lot about myself and a new culture.”
In Cape Town, visits with companies helped Paschall see how connected business and community are in the region. “I already saw business as the vehicle that drives innovation to solve the world’s issues, yet I didn’t quite know how,” he says. “Companies like Jumo, M&C Saatchi Abel and PickNPay gave me an inside look at how they do this. These companies are specifically interesting because they all have the intentions of making profits, but they all practice social entrepreneurship within their communities.”
Reflecting on how his identity impacted his experience, Paschall shared he was “able to look at myself from a global scale. I learned that I am not so different, but I’m still extremely privileged. This is so difficult to see especially with all the invisible constructs, like race, that people have made to separate the world. All my life I’ve lived as a Black male in America. This is a challenge within itself, but others are living a similar struggle all around the world. In my opinion, this is where inclusive leadership is so important. Connecting with others through our awareness, mindset and skill to make sure everyone feels involved. Being willing to explore similarities and difference in identity.”
Bella Church expanded her skillset during her Virtual Global Immersion Elective (GIE).
“Between client engagement opportunities, team meetings, social events and professional development discussions, I added fundamental hard and soft skills to my toolkit,” she says. “I am so grateful I took the leap of faith and applied.”
Church and her classmates worked on global teams with students from Corvinus University in Hungary to consult for an Eastern European-based company working to reduce food waste.
“One of the central components of the virtual Hungary GIE that appealed to me was the opportunity to work on a cross-cultural team in solving an actual business problem,” she says. “Through learning about business in the context of Hungary along with the social, economic and political dynamics at play, I wanted to strengthen my business acumen on a global scale. Further, as the world continues to grow increasingly interconnected, I was eager for the chance to participate in a consulting-based course where I could collaborate directly with students in Hungary and apply those takeaways to future teamwork opportunities.”
Her experience links directly to career rewards.
“This virtual GIE deeply impacted my worldview and equipped me with problem-solving, analytical and collaboration skills that will pay dividends long after graduation,” she says. “As an incoming intern for a global company like IBM, I feel thankful for the chance to have worked on a crosscultural team. Given the considerable amount of time devoted to team interactions, I saw a different side to conducting business meetings. Carving out time at the beginning of meetings for non-project related conversations allowed my team to establish common-ground. Ultimately, this relational side of conducting business meetings is certainly an aspect I will bring with me in my future career.”
Kirstie Moore wanted to experience Italy first hand. Moore studied abroad in Milan on a semester abroad program.
She offers some practical advice for students who want to study abroad: “Budget, budget, budget. Save your money before you go abroad, and apply to as many scholarships as you can.”
Moore, who identifies as a student of color, shared how her identity impacted her experience. “I did feel alone at times because there were no Black people around me.”
For other students of color, she offers the following advice: “Find and watch YouTube videos of Black people who studied abroad in the country that you are interested in so you know what to expect.”
Moore tapped into her friends and family back home in the U.S. to help her navigate some of the challenges of being abroad – a good reminder to us that your support system is just a phone call away.
Sara Holmes’ interest in studying abroad stemmed from a curiosity about global business practices and an interest to meet other business school students.
She participated in the Assured Admit Global Immersion Elective (GIE) in South Africa and attended a study abroad program at the London School of Economics.
Holmes credits her interactions with locals in both countries as being the times where she learned the most about local culture and lifestyles.
Her global experiences have helped prepare her for future work. “My GIE taught me a lot about handling different communication and working styles, and the need to be flexible at times for the good of the group,” she says. “It also pushed me towards a potential career in consulting and then entrepreneurship in the future, given how much I enjoyed our mini-case competition during the program.”
And some final encouraging words from Holmes: “Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone –that’s where the most learning will happen and the times you’ll remember the most!”
Ingrid Chau came to Carolina wanting to get international exposure. She found her opportunity through the Virtual Global Immersion Elective (GIE) about Hungary. The course included international team work and a consulting project, where tested out her consulting skills.
“I learned that I am more capable of consulting than I thought I was,” she says. “Going into the program, I wasn’t very confident in myself because I never participated in anything like a case competition.”
One of the intangibles that comes from global education is a new or renewed sense of confidence that comes mastering something new. The GIE, Chau says, “has given me confidence going forward, especially when we had the opportunity to present our project to Munch, the company we were consulting for. Also, I aspire to work in an international setting and this program taught me a lot about what it’s like to work with team members from a different part of the world, which has been very valuable.”
Megan Miller knew that she wanted to learn more about leadership and business, so the South Africa Global Immersion Elective (GIE) that focuses on inclusive leadership seemed a good fit.
“I thought it was a great opportunity to develop my leadership and business skills through team-based projects and collaboration,” she says. “This program built a foundation of critical relational, leadership and overall life skills. The experiences I had in this course demonstrated the importance of connection and putting people at the center of businesses. I also learned about another culture and how to take on other perspectives. Overall, I will certainly lean on the skills I learned in this program in all my future business endeavors.”
Miller advises students who are interested in global programs to reach out to past participants. “I would tell future students to take advantage of every global opportunity they can. My GIE was so valuable and I look forward to hopefully participating in more global programs in the future,” she says. “Interested students should also connect with students who previously participated in programs! I know everyone who participated would be more than willing to be a resource for those considering a global program, myself included.”
The first time Arth Baghel travelled outside the U.S. was on a global program through UNC Kenan-Flagler. Baghel travelled 9,000 miles from Chapel Hill to Bangkok to study business as a semester exchange student at Chulalongkorn University and experience living outside of the U.S.
Living in Bangkok was “the first time I felt truly free to explore new interests and try new things, and through those experiences I learned an incredible deal about myself,” he says. “I gained a greater perspective on the world and the beauty of cultural nuances from across the world, and learned to appreciate myself as a more social and relaxed person. I made dozens of good friends, picked up new hobbies, and even developed a love for martial arts.”
With a double major and a minor, Baghel planned carefully for study abroad. “From a pragmatic perspective, structure your coursework before and after going abroad to maximize the amount of transferable credits, and balance the workload of hours during your semester abroad.”
Baghel, who identifies as a person of color, says he “didn’t stand out to native Thais as an American on first sight, and had some funny experiences being mistaken for a long-term resident. As someone with an Asian background, I was able to engage with my own culture directly in some of my travels, and from that gained authentic connection to my heritage.”
The semester abroad was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he says. “Participating in a semester exchange is one of the most unique opportunities of your life in terms of time, age and flexibility, and every single day is truly worth making the most of.”
Gabriel Bouslov was looking to get outside his comfort zone and to meet students from other parts of the world. These goals combined with his interest in taking business classes in Spanish led him to study abroad on a semester program at University of Navarra in Pamplona.
In the semester that Bouslov studied at Navarra, he was the only UNC student there, which helped him grow. “I truly had to step outside of my comfort zone and meet new people through whichever means I could,” he says. “This was not easy, and in the process I learned how I best get along with people and what kinds of people I relate to the most.”
While it may seem daunting to be the only Tar Heel at a host university, Bouslov offered these words of wisdom: “Don’t let the fact that no other UNC students are going scare you! I can honestly say that my time in Pamplona was the best time of my life, and I don’t see that changing any time soon. Throw yourself in the deep end and leave all comfort behind – you will be happier and more fulfilled for it.”