Kansas State University

CIMBA study abroad program gives students an immersive international educational experience

Submitted by Brent Fritzemeier

A group of 19 Kansas State University students recently returned from a monthlong study abroad experience through the CIMBA consortium in the Italian town of Paderno del Grappa.

CIMBA partners with a consortium of 36 of some of the top universities in the U.S. to create a network of universities that actively encourage students to seek personal development and growth through international, cross-cultural academic experiences.

For the four-week summer course, students could choose two, three credit hour courses from a variety of options offered at the campus across all business disciplines, as well as courses in Italian and Italian culture. Classes typically included many local business visits as well as local excursions in addition to classroom lectures and class activities like case studies.

Kansas State University professor of marketing Swinder Janda led the group of K-State students, and has been a part of the CIMBA program since 2002. He taught the three credit hour international marketing course that included 29 students from across the consortium institutions, including some of the K-State students.

The class featured two local business visits — Italtrike Company, a maker of tricycles for kids, and Villa Sandi, a winery in the Veneto region of Italy — both of which serve consumers in a variety of countries in Europe as well as outside Europe. The course also took students on cultural excursions to two local neighboring cities of Bassano del Grappa and Asolo.

The program also included many other cultural activities open to all students on campus including a pizza making class, and a formal five-course Italian dinner. All these activities occurred Monday through Thursday, giving students the weekend off to travel and enjoy immersive experiences of their own choosing.

"I feel a study abroad program like the CIMBA summer program is a great way for students to get an immersive experience abroad," Janda said. "I particularly like the fact that students can participate in business and cultural activities set up by the program but also partake in cultural experiences of their own choosing during ample free time on weekends."

The College of Business Administration offers several study abroad experiences throughout the year. For more information on CIMBA or other study abroad opportunities in the College of Business Administration, email Swinder Janda at swinder@k-state.edu or visit cba.k-state.edu/current-students/study-abroad/index.html.