KU business school receives $1.4 million grant for international programs

LAWRENCE -- The University of Kansas School of Business has received a four-year, $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to fund the Center for International Business Education and Research.

"The KU CIBER seeks to ensure a growing supply of new business professionals capable of contributing to the global efforts of their organizations and to ensure that current managers have the opportunity to learn new skills critical to their firms' global success," said CIBER director Melissa Birch.

The KU CIBER will undertake about 50 projects to enhance international business education at KU, encourage related research by faculty and provide outreach to the business community. One of the new curricular activities will be an eight-week program in which MBA students study international business strategy and conduct research on global industries, including two weeks of intensive fieldwork overseas. The CIBER grant also will provide executive education in international project management, international business ethics and cross-cultural management.

KU is one of 30 U.S. universities funded by the CIBER program. Other CIBERs include Columbia University, Duke University, the University of Michigan, the University of California-Los Angeles, the University of North Carolina and the University of Texas.

"The U.S. Department of Education selected KU on the strength of its international programs," KU School of Business Dean William L. Fuerst said.

During the first three years of CIBER funding, KU and the International Trade Division of the Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing developed an outreach program that allows student teams to research international market opportunities for Kansas companies.

"This is a valuable opportunity for our students to gain great experience while helping Kansas companies compete in the global marketplace," Fuerst said.

Other CIBER projects involved the introduction of new study abroad programs, designed especially for MBA students; joint degree programs in business and area studies; and a program to promote international trade along the NAFTA corridor.

"This grant allows the business school to tap into resources across the university and around the world to serve our students, faculty and the business community in the region," Birch said. "As a result, our programs are stronger, our students are better prepared to be global citizens and firms in our area can compete more effectively in international markets. It's a win-win-win situation."