Kelley Global – Business education everywhere business happens

Business is Global—A Decade of Impact

Posted on October 28, 2024 by carlcrav

Painting the bridge on North Eagleson is always a program highlight

In today’s rapidly changing global landscape, the need for culturally aware and globally competent students has never been more pressing. Since its inception in 2013, Business is Global (BIG) has provided a unique platform for high school students to explore the dynamic intersection of business, language, and culture.

Over the past decade, this two-week summer program has evolved from a small cohort of students into a highly sought-after experience providing high school students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in international business concepts, language acquisition, and cross-cultural understanding. Designed by the IU Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), BIG aims to develop the skills students need to succeed in the interconnected world of global business.

The 2024 edition of BIG was a testament to the program’s ongoing success. With a cohort of 49 students from 11 states, including a targeted focus on rural Indiana, the program exposed participants to a diverse array of global perspectives. Throughout the two weeks, students engaged in hands-on projects, where they created business strategies for international markets, focusing on cities such as Seoul, Cape Town, and Rio de Janeiro. The experience culminated in team presentations, where students demonstrated their ability to integrate language skills, cultural understanding, and business knowledge.

BIG is about more than just business—it is about building global citizens. The program emphasizes the importance of cultural awareness, helping students develop a mindset open to diverse perspectives and introduces participants to less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) while immersing them in the cultures of the countries where those languages are spoken. Languages offered in 2024 included Korean, Russian, Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, and Zulu. Students gain the technical knowledge of business and the interpersonal skills that will help them succeed in any global context.

What sets BIG apart from other programs is its emphasis on real-world application. Students are not just passive learners—they are active participants in a global economy simulation. The feedback from students reflects this. A 2024 participant shared:

“Having knowledge of the international business world isn’t the only important thing in order to succeed. You need to know how to network and genuinely build a relationship with whoever you’re given, no matter either background. If you don’t have this skill, all of your “book-knowledge” of business won’t carry you to the max amount of success you could possibly have.”

Team Rio posing for the camera

With 449 students having participated in BIG since 2013, the program has built a lasting legacy of cultivating globally minded young professionals. Many alumni have gone on to pursue international careers or further their studies in business and foreign languages. As BIG looks ahead, the focus remains on creating inclusive, impactful experiences that prepare students to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

Global immersions enhance Kelley Direct Online MBA experience

Posted on May 16, 2024 by cdavis

Picture of KD immersion visit to ecofiltro in Guatemala

KD students meet with Ecofiltro representatives during their January immersion session in Guatemala.

Each term, students from our No. 1-ranked Kelley Direct Online MBA program can travel internationally to study a country’s business culture or consult with real clients through KD global immersions.

With each experience, Kelley Direct students connect with classmates and faculty, creating a network to rely on throughout their careers. Global immersions are one of the highlights of a student’s KD experience.

This winter’s immersion in Guatemala was designed to provide a transformative cultural business learning experience through students conducting a consulting engagement with Ecofiltro, a social enterprise in Antigua. The project was to help Ecofiltro determine how to penetrate the rural Guatemalan market to provide clean water to 1 million families in rural areas by 2025.

During the course, students met virtually to learn about Guatemalan culture, international business, consulting and strategy frameworks, and project management. Students engaged with the client and began project work: building team charters, defining project scope, and providing an in-country plan.

Once in-country, the 27 students divided into six teams, continued working with the client for three days and followed up with a final recommendation on day four. At the end of the program, one team’s recommendation was chosen and will be implemented by the company.

In the spring, 34 KD students traveled to Singapore to explore a country that has risen from a small unknown enclave of Malaysia to a mighty independent island nation that now hails as the third most significant financial hub in the world.

Kelley Direct Online MBA students in Singapore

Kelley Direct Online MBA students show their Kelley pride with alumnus and Global Dean’s Council member Philip Chua, MBA’88, in Singapore.

The course and in-country immersion was a masterclass in networking with Kelley’s many alumni leaders there, while learning and gaining insight into what has made Singapore so successful. Many thanks to those who hosted students during this transformative experience. In the coming months, KD students will travel to Switzerland and Greece.

In the next Kelley Global newsletter, we will highlight more exciting global programs at Kelley in the Graduate Accounting and MS in Information Systems programs.

International study experiences support Kelley’s global focus

Posted on May 16, 2024 by cdavis

Erica Kovacs and students pose in front of building at Breda University of Applied Sciences

Erica Kovacs’ Global Business Immersion class joins students from Breda University of Applied Sciences in The Netherlands.

Study abroad and international experiences continued to generate significant interest among Kelley students at all levels during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Undergraduate students can choose from 68 programs in 26 countries on six continents. This year, 1,180 Kelley undergraduates studied abroad in 40 programs in 19 countries. Spain was the most popular destination with six programs welcoming 526 students. Italy was second with three programs welcoming 275 students. Kelley undergraduates could be found in 12 European countries this year. Destinations outside Europe included Argentina, Australia, China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand.

Chart detailing Kelley study abroad programs by region

Additionally, 371 undergraduate students were enrolled in 14 Global Business Immersion short-term programs. These courses are part of the undergraduate Global Foundations Core and are eight-week courses providing an opportunity to dig into a country analysis from a business perspective. Enrollment is by application through the Undergraduate Study Abroad Office and is competitive. The courses capitalize on the wide-ranging expertise of Kelley faculty from all academic departments. 

After the classroom sessions, students travel as a group to the country or region emphasized in the course for a seven-to-nine-day study tour. The travel component for the first eight-week courses occurs during spring break and in May for the second eight-week offerings. While in-country, students participate in relevant business and cultural site visits. This year, courses were led by the following faculty members:

Chris Cook (Romania)	Jeffery McMullen (Mexico)	Jeanette Heidewald (Germany)
Angie Perry (Thailand)	Tatiana Kolovou (Greece)	Jim Davis (Australia)
Erica Kovacs (Netherlands)	Richard Shockley (Hungary)	Gerry Hays (Singapore)
Ellie Mafi-Kreft (France)	Markus Vodosek (Poland)	Alex Lopes (S. Korea)
Keith Dayton (Cuba)	Kelly Eskew (South Africa)

On the graduate side, 23 Full-Time MBA students studied in eight locations during the spring semester. Like their undergraduate colleagues, Spain was a popular destination with five students. However, the location with the most students was Germany, with 12. The remaining students studied in Japan, Singapore, Finland, United Kingdom, Argentina, and New Zealand. In addition, Kelley Direct, MSIS, Graduate Accounting, and Full-Time MBA students participated in experiential learning opportunities around the globe.

Learn more about Kelley Undergraduate Study Abroad. Consider supporting Kelley Undergraduate Study Abroad Scholarships.

Global Dean’s Council convenes in Singapore to advance Kelley’s worldwide impact, celebrate alums

Posted on May 16, 2024 by cdavis

Global Dean’s Council members Dennis Tan, BS’93, Patrick Decker, BS’87, and Milon Nag, BS’84, MBA’85, participate in a panel discussion about sustainability moderated by Pat Hopkins, Vice Dean for Kelley Bloomington.

Photo of Michelle W, Chief Digital Data & Technology Officer at Brenntag

Michelle Wu, BS’01, Chief Digital Data & Technology Officer at Brenntag in Germany, shares her thoughts on AI technology.

The Kelley School of Business gathered global alumni and distinguished leaders for its annual spring Global Dean’s Council meeting in the vibrant city of Singapore. This gathering, a testament to Kelley’s commitment to excellence and global relevance, brought together over 30 influential Kelley school alumni to strategize on advancing the school’s impact worldwide.

The meeting served as a platform for leaders from diverse fields to collaborate with Kelley’s Dean Ash Soni, Vice Dean Pat Hopkins, and senior leadership, charting a course for the school’s continued success on the global stage. Discussions ranged from innovative educational approaches to fostering strong industry partnerships, business education in the age of the smart machine, and sustainability, all aimed at elevating Kelley’s position as a leader in business education.

In conjunction with the council meeting, the IU Alumni Association seized the opportunity to host a spectacular event, bringing together alumni from across the globe. The Singapore chapter, under the leadership of outgoing President Philip Chua, MBA’88, and Vice President Clement Huang, BS’08, orchestrated an unforgettable evening filled with cultural festivities and culinary delights.

Guests were treated to a mesmerizing Lunar New Year Dragon dance symbolizing prosperity and good fortune for Kelley’s future endeavors. The evening’s culinary experience, curated by Master Chef and Kelley alumna Louise Yuan, BS’01, showcased the talent and innovation of Kelley alumni.

IU graduates sport their Hoosier colors at an IU Alumni Association event attended by Kelley School leaders and the Global Dean’s Council.

The evening featured a Lunar New Year Dragon Dance symbolizing prosperity and good fortune.

Highlighting the occasion was the induction of 11 new members into the Global Dean’s Council, recognizing their invaluable contributions to advancing Kelley’s global mission. Additionally, a cohort of dedicated volunteers was celebrated for their longstanding commitment to the school’s momentum and vision. We are incredibly grateful for their service to the Kelley School.

As the meeting concluded, a heartfelt appreciation was extended to the Global Dean’s Council for their unwavering dedication to Kelley’s global mission. Their collective efforts continue to shape the future of business education and empower Kelley graduates to make meaningful contributions to the world.

The Global Dean’s Council meeting in Singapore was not only a gathering of minds but also a celebration of the enduring spirit and success of the Kelley School of Business, IU, and its global community.

GLOBASE impacts MBA students, companies, communities

Posted on May 16, 2024 by cdavis

Full-Time MBA students traveled to Greece to meet with their client, Symbeeosis. The company promotes health and wellness through natural nutrition, including organic herbs and honey.

A signature experience for Kelley’s Full-Time MBA students, GLOBASE (Global Business and Social Enterprise) enables student teams to work with small and medium-sized businesses to make meaningful contributions to communities in international markets. Students assist clients to overcome obstacles, expand their business, find new markets, hire employees, and develop strategic plans.

This spring, 72 MBA students, three faculty and three staff members traveled to Greece (26 students), Argentina (24), and Botswana (22) to work on business plans with 14 companies. All types of industries, ranging from a third-generation family business in Argentina that produces, imports, and sells hardware components for windows and wants to assess opportunities to drive sales growth, to a well-established organic foods manufacturer in Greece looking to expand in the US market. 

Students are selectively chosen to participate in this competitive program. Once chosen, four to five students are paired with a second-year student leader to solve a business challenge. It is a true consulting engagement with the client often being a company or non-profit that cannot afford such services.

Before traveling, students develop a strategy for how to make the most of their time while in-country with their clients. Students move through a structured process to prepare and then solve a complex problem taking into consideration cross cultural differences, working virtually with their client to articulate a vision and address issues as they arise. Teams take approximately seven weeks to prepare a project plan before making their journey to meet the client in person.

Being in the country allows the students to learn even more about the business and to become fully engaged and dedicated to their client’s objective. They spend the week performing local research and learning as much as possible about their clients, other stakeholders, and local culture.

Following the time in-country, students apply what they learned to develop a portfolio of resources for their clients. Finally, the teams present their final recommendations, along with deliverables, in a virtual meeting to wrap up the program.

Seeing all the touchpoints of the business makes it real to the students. The hours are long, and the dedication is realized. These experiential courses have a lasting impact on the students, organizations, and communities. The students learn to work effectively and efficiently as a team, despite jet lag, conflicting expectations, cultural variations, and very limited time for a project of this magnitude. The teams know that their final recommendations, as well as smaller ones throughout the project, can change the trajectory for the businesses they work with, and they do all they can to ensure the change is a positive one.

Learn more here. Consider supporting GLOBASE Scholarships.

A successful international journey leads to a new global beginning

Posted on May 9, 2024 by cdavis

The Kelley Global team: From left, Fred Perry, Teresa Crafton, Christine Everett, Trina Chandler, Britt Rust, and Ryan Craven

After 13 successful years, the Institute for International Business (IIB) recently underwent a name change and expanded its scope to cover all things global at the Kelley School of Business.

Kelley Global brings all of Kelley’s global efforts under one umbrella and will help track and maximize efforts, further develop a global mindset in programs and research, and build Kelley’s brand worldwide. Kelley Global is led by Executive Director Fred Perry. Fred is joined by Senior Director Christine Everett; Program Managers Ryan Craven, Teresa Crafton, and Trina Chandler; Contracts and Grant Specialist Britt Rust; and LatAm Recruiting and Partner Engagement Advisor Analilia Silva.

IIB was founded in 2010 to serve as the focal point for international outreach at Kelley. The mission was “to transform lives, organizations and institutions through the development of programs and partnerships, big and small, which build business and entrepreneurial knowledge for action in emerging and developing markets globally.”

Under the leadership and vision of Executive Director LaVonn Schlegel, IIB did just that. Focusing on entrepreneurship, business skill development, job creation, and higher education capacity-building projects, IIB was awarded 60 proposals worth nearly $20.5 million from 2010 through 2023. Larger projects in which numerous Kelley faculty participated included Barbados Jobs Initiative, with an investment of $1.3 million over three years; Advancement and Development through Entrepreneurship Programs and Training (ADEPT), equal to $1.4 million over four years; Entrepreneurship Excellence and Developing Economic Enterprises (BEEADEE), $1.4 million or four years; and the Global Business Institute, which received grants of $8 million from 2012-2018.

As the development landscape began shifting over the last 7-10 years, funding for federal grants was reduced. The needs of the Kelley School had also been changing as global opportunities and partnerships were expanding. To support these changes, the decision was made to evolve IIB into a more integral part of the school. Kelley Global will partner with Kelley’s Office of Development and Engagement to expand the school’s global engagement and fundraising efforts and will advise the deans in developing and implementing its global strategy.

The team has jumped into multiple data-collection projects for Kelley’s international partnerships, which includes building a database to capture the wide array of international activities within the school. Since Kelley Global’s inception in January 2024, we have made significant strides with academic partners in Mexico, Thailand, the UK, and in Indonesia. In addition, Kelley Global also coordinated and hosted six students from partner Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE) in early March.

Two ongoing IIB projects will remain at Kelley Global: a six-year $800,000 grant with Saints Cyril and Methodius University (UKIM) in North Macedonia to launch a new online degree and support their AACSB accreditation, and a four-year, $1.4 million Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) grant through the US Department of Education.

For up-to-date news, be sure to follow LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

To support Kelley’s global strategy, you can become a monthly “Kelley Global Pillar” or a one-time donor here.

CIBER Focus: Entrepreneurship in Indonesia with Handy Widjaja, Founder of BPR Intidana Bank

Posted on July 27, 2023 by Institute for International Business

Handy Widjaja founded BPR Intidana (Community Bank) in 2004. Since then, BPR Intidana Sukses Makmur has grown to be the leading BPR/Community Bank in Jakarta and its greater areas (Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi), with more than $100 Million in assets.

Handy graduated from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business with majors in Finance and Marketing.

About IIB: The Institute for International Business expands the ways people think about themselves in the world and how they interact with others from around the world. Through our field work and programs, we bring people and organizations together to create economic opportunities for individuals and communities.

CIBER Focus: Building Resilience with and Lessons Learned in Lebanon during an Economic Crisis w/Dr. Abdallah Nassereddine

Posted on February 21, 2023 by Institute for International Business

Dr. Abdallah Nassereddine is the Economic Attaché at the Embassy of Lebanon in Washington, D.C. He served as a consultant for numerous respected organizations in areas of policy impact analysis. He taught at several universities in the UK such as Westminster Business School and the University of Greenwich and in Lebanon at the American University in Beirut and Beirut Arab University. He wrote several case studies published at the HBR and other Q1 journals. He holds a PhD in economics from the University of Kent.

About IU CIBER: Housed in the Institute for International Business, the IU Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) leverages the institutional strengths of Indiana University and the Kelley School of Business to help U.S. businesses compete successfully in the global marketplace. IU CIBER is a national resource center funded by a Title VI grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

CIBER Focus Interview: Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Sustainability with Dr. Stephanie Wang

Posted on January 31, 2023 by Institute for International Business

Dr. Stephanie Lu Wang is an Associate Professor, Institute for Entrepreneurship & Competitive Enterprise Faculty Fellow, at the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University. Stephanie’s primary research interests lie at the intersection of internationalization and social/environmental sustainability. She is particularly interested in studying emerging market multinationals and cultural industries as research contexts.

Stephanie has won numerous international awards, such as the Poets & Quant’s Best 40-Under-40 Business School Professors in 2022, Alan Rugman Fellow in 2021, Emerging Scholar Award in International Management from the Academy of Management (AOM) in 2019, the Academy of International Business (AIB) Best Paper Award in 2018, the Inaugural Journal of Word Business (JWB) Best Phenomenon-Based Article Award in 2018, the Woman AIB Emerging Scholar Award in 2017, the International Management Division Best Dissertation Award (finalist) in 2015, the Best Paper Award from the AOM in 2015, Excellent Service Award from both AOM and AIB, and others.

Stephanie serves as an Associate Editor for the Global Strategic Journal, a Special Issue Editor for the Journal of International Business Studies, and a Consulting Editor for the Journal of International Management. She is the faculty advisor for the Indiana University Chapter of Ascend, the largest non-profit Pan-Asian organization for business professionals in North America. Stephanie is a Non-Resident Research Fellow of the Core Research Team at the Center for Emerging Markets of Nanyang Business School at the Nanyang Technological University. Stephanie received her Ph.D. from the University of Miami, a master’s degree from Peking University, and an undergraduate degree from the Renmin University of China.

Kelley’s Center for International Business Education and Research receives $1.4M

Posted on August 23, 2022 by Institute for International Business

Business is Global (BIG) is an annual, two-week program for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors interested in experiencing the intersection of business, language, and culture.

The Kelley School of Business’ Center for International Business Education and Research, known as CIBER, will receive nearly $1.4 million in Title VI funding, making it one of only 16 such federally funded centers. The grant will support a wide range of programs and initiatives, including:

An International Trade Certificate with the Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis
A video series focusing on business-specific knowledge related to foreign languages
International business research projects on innovation strategies and national innovation ecosystems, Indiana exporting and manufacturing, and cybersecurity

CIBER will also continue to provide broad support for minority-serving institutions and community colleges. “Resources for global education, research and engagement are critical in an increasingly connected business world,” said Ash Soni, interim dean of the Kelley School and the SungKyunKwan Professor. “This important grant will help continue Kelley’s legacy of international involvement by building connections and cultural understanding for our faculty, Indiana businesses and students around the globe.

For nearly 30 years, Kelley’s center has supported a national goal of the U.S. CIBER program to advance the study and teaching of international business and to support research that helps the United States remain competitive in the global marketplace. The program was created by the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 to increase and promote the nation’s capacity for international competitiveness.

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