March 31, 2017
Study abroad tour to Europe gives students in the College of Business Administration a global outlook on business
Submitted by Brent Fritzemeier
A faculty-led study abroad program over spring break saw 26 students in the Kansas State University College of Business Administration travel to Europe to gain a better understanding of the global marketplace.
The group, which was led by professor of marketing Swinder Janda, spent 10 days visiting the sites and touring international businesses in London and Munich. The trip was part of Janda's international business course, which included pre-trip classroom sessions and a post-trip paper related to the student's experiences and how they relate to international business topics and cross-cultural perspectives.
"In addition to providing students an international perspective on business, studying abroad is also a great — and fun — way to enhance world mindedness," Janda said. "In addition, it is beneficial in terms of providing students the opportunity to navigate a different cultural environment, and in that sense contributes to their ability to interact with diverse populations."
In London, the students kicked off the trip with a business visit to Cerner London, where they spent the day touring the facilities and meeting with employees. Additional activities included a business tour of Fuller's Brewery, a guided tour of Windsor Castle and Stonehenge, and a hop-on hop-off bus tour of the city.
During their time in Munich, the group took a business tour of a BMW manufacturing plant, where they were guided through all of the major steps in the manufacturing process and given an overview of the BMW brand. Next, they visited BMW Welt, a state-of-the-art facility that displays BMW technology with interactive exhibits.
Visits to the German Alps, a cultural show and traditional Bavarian dinner at the Augustiner and a sightseeing bike tour gave students the opportunity to explore and immerse in German culture.
The College of Business Administration offers several study abroad experiences throughout the year. For more information on study abroad programs in the college, email Swinder Janda at swinder@k-state.edu or visit the website.