Collat Education Abroad

Video Transcript

[00:00] Thanks for tuning into this video about the Collat School of Business faculty led education abroad programs. I'm Dr. Mickey Bunn been the Director of International Business Programs for the Collat's School of Business. And I'm here today to tell you about the opportunity to take a UAB course and go on a business and cultural tour of a foreign country with one of your faculty members.

[00:23] First, this is a great way to earn course credit. You can satisfy your CSP requirement for an international business course. And you can see how this fits in with your studies, but please meet with your advisor and ask many questions. The second reason is the life experience you will gain. You'll see the world taken a new culture, develop personally and professionally, and make lifelong friends. And third, consider how an education abroad experience opens the door for career opportunities. You will increase your global awareness, develop your ability to function in another culture. And we know companies are looking for graduates who have stepped out of their comfort zone.

[01:11] With a faculty led program, you will take a course from one of these faculty leaders and earn credit towards your degree, and go on a business and cultural tour with an experienced faculty member. For undergraduates, this satisfies your CSB requirement for a course in international business. But the programs are interdisciplinary and suited for any major, and they're open to both undergraduates and graduate students. All travel is planned and coordinated and it's an incredible experience.

[01:44] I'm very pleased to be the faculty leader for Italy. The program and the coarse focus on business and culture in Italy. And the topics we study in this course include technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship and how these relate to culture. I'm sure you've heard of Italy's unbelievable art, architecture, fashion, and of course the food. But did you know that Italian innovations over the centuries have shaped our world? These include inventions such as the telephone, eyeglasses, banking, and yes, even blue jeans. And today, Italy is very much a land of entrepreneurs. Over 90% of businesses are SMEs or small to medium enterprises. These businesses range from artisans who handcraft leather products the same way they have for centuries, to the high-tech research and development companies in the auto sector, for example, in this area, you may be familiar with Italian companies such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Pagani. In the course, we'll study these themes and then go on a business and cultural tour that includes the incredible cities of Florence and Milan. We tour the historical and cultural sites in each city and visit several companies, including long established family run businesses, as well as recent entrepreneurial startups. So look for more information online.

[03:14] The Italy program takes place in the spring semester, but be careful you must apply ahead. So pay attention to the deadlines. I hope you will consider this Italy program.

[03:25] I'm Dr. Sarah Culver and I lead the Denmark program. Denmark's capital city of Copenhagen has an ambitious plan to be the world's first carbon neutral capital in 2025. And their plans go beyond climate action and clean energy. It's a whole mindset that includes, among other things, good health and well-being, social justice, zero hunger, quality education, and responsible production and consumption. To research their policy initiatives and outcomes is important if you care about doing the same here. But to experience it firsthand with the business and cultural tour portion of this class over fall break. That's a truly transformative experience. You will discover how the Danes are pursuing green economic development without sacrificing their cultural values, their rich history of art and design, and their high standard of living, or their beautiful landscapes. It's no wonder they consistently rank among the happiest people on the planet.

[04:31] The Denmark program takes place in the fall semester, but be careful, you must apply a head. Look for those deadlines and more information online.

[04:40] Of course, now that you're interested in these programs, you need to know about the costs. There are three parts to the program costs. First, when you apply for one of the programs, you must pay the UAB education abroad fee, and purchase your airline tickets. This includes the business and cultural tour costs for hotels, transportation inside the country, some group meals, company visits, and admission to cultural sites. Second, once you're accepted into the program, you need to register for IB495 business study abroad with your faculty leader. That is the spring semester for Dr. Bunn's Italy program or fall semester for Dr. Culver's Denmark program. And third, there will be some other costs depending on your personal situation and preferences. This includes the application fee, the cost to acquire a passport or visa if needed. You'll need to get to and from the airport on your own. Some meals you must pay for on your own. And of course, you need some spending money in your pocket along the way. If you want the study abroad experience, you can find a way to make it happen.

[05:55] The Collat School of Business offers six merit-based scholarships of $1,000 each for each program. The deadline to apply is around the same time as the program application deadline. There are also a variety of scholarships available from UAB. And you should also investigate other scholarships from outside of UAB for which you may be eligible. You can apply for many of these scholarship opportunities on the UAB education abroad website. The bottom line is that if you want to study abroad, you can find a way to make it happen. So please consider participating in one of these programs.

[06:31] We've given you a range of choices here. So you can choose based on the time of year, the academic topic, or your own personal interests. But it's all up to you. Take that next step by looking at the Collat and UAB websites. Reach out to your advisor and feel free to contact the faculty leaders. The best advice is to start planning early and be aware of the deadlines.