Graduate Programming

The Managing Global Business Risks and Opportunities course is an opportunity to travel the world virtually at no additional cost beyond tuition.

Course Information

“Managing Global Business Risks and Opportunities” provides students with the opportunity to learn from and engage with business leaders and MBA students in the leading international business destinations of South Africa, Poland, and Israel. The class begins by providing conceptual tools for identifying and assessing the institutional influences shaping national business environments. Students will then learn about the business and cultural environments in the three focal countries through direct online interaction with overseas business leaders and MBA students, as well as local subject matter experts. Students will employ this knowledge in a team project in which you will advise a real-world American firm on a strategy for entering one of the three countries. At the end of the class, teams will present their findings to firm representatives and a panel of external judges.

The class will consist of four sequential modules.

Conceptual tools for developing international business strategies.
You will learn conceptual frameworks for identifying and assessing the institutional influences shaping national business environments, and the factors relevant to developing international market entry strategies.

Virtual engagement.
You will learn about the business and cultural environments in Israel, Poland, and South Africa through direct online interaction with overseas businesses, local subject matter experts, and local MBA students.

Team project.
You will perform a team consulting project for a U.S.-based company. Your team will be assigned one of the five host countries and asked to prepare a strategic analysis of the company’s possible entry into the country.

Presentation & integration.
You will participate in a class-wide comparative exercise using the results of your team project. The exercise will include team presentations attended by company.

Registration Instructions

Registration opens on Tuesday, October 26. Students will register for the MBA global business courses in Testudo. The course number associated with each MBA global business course will be provided soon. There is no additional application for this course.

This program is funded in part by CIBE, a Title VI grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Structure

Semester Course

Projects sources from the Maryland Global Consulting Program are embedded within Professor Nicole Coomber's Business Consulting course.

Summer Program

Virtual opportunity for teams of 3-5 MBA students from early June to early August. Students participating can opt for a for-credit independent study or not for credit.

The Maryland Global Consulting program is an opportunity to work with a real company seeking to expand its global business or solutions to an international business challenge. This program gives clients the opportunity to work with MBA students on internationalizing their business through general strategy, marketing, finance, supply chain and logistics, and/or data analytics skills. Potential projects may include market assessments, market entry strategies, identification of distributors, and export distribution plans.

More information on the company will be provided after the enrollment process. Company projects are sourced through the Center for Global Business and the Maryland Department of Commerce. Students will be matched to the company by the Center for Global Business based on industry experience, foreign language capacity, and other factors that may be considered for the project.

Questions? Email Marina Augoustidis at maugoust@umd.edu.

This program is funded in part by CIBE, a Title VI grant administered by the U.S. Department of Education.

The Ace the Case Global Business Challenge is a virtual opportunity for all MBA and business graduate students to compete against peers from schools throughout the U.S. The competition asks teams to tackle a real challenge for a global client through an interviewer-led case and final video presentation.

Please check back to save the date for the 2023 Ace the Case Global Business Challenge.

Participants can expect to:

• Work in teams and provide actionable recommendations
• Sharpen skills in navigating the case interview process and in making virtual presentations
• Network with international students and corporate executives
• Join a virtual student mixer and optional virtual cultural activity
• Participate in a case interview process with an international company
• Compete virtually against business students from across the globe
• Engage in both synchronous and asynchronous sessions for this two-part competition

Note: Teams can expect to participate synchronously for no more than two hours across three days. Final-round teams can expect to submit a video with recommendations two to three days before the final round. Time in between accounts for judge deliberations.

For more information or if you have any questions contact cibeacethecase@gmail.com.

Read about the 2022 Ace the Case Global Business Challenge.

Read about the 2021 Ace the Case Global Business Challenge.

This program is funded in part by CIBE, a Title VI grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Pursue a career in international business and participate in the International Business Trek in Maryland!

Interested students can register for any or all visits. Registering for one visit does not require a student to register for the entire program.

2020-21 Events

Read event highlights: FlyWheel Digital Hosts Virtual Site Visit with Maryland Smith Students

Virtual Visit to the Maryland Port Administration

Donovan Murray
General Manager, Intermodal/Trade Development
Learn more about the port and its work | Event Highlights: Virtual Visit to the Maryland Port Administration

The International Business Trek in Baltimore is supported in part by CIBE, a Title VI grant administered by the U.S. Department of Education.

Stay tuned for more information about the HUMLOG Challenge with the Global Business School Network in Fall 2022. Please see information below about the Fall 2021 HUMLOG Challenge.

The HUMLOG Challenge Fall 2021

The Global Business School Network Learners Track features a virtual team competition designed to engage students from across the globe who have an interest in humanitarian logistics and a desire to serve their community. The Covid-19 pandemic has tested communities across the world on preparedness and resilience. In the context of accelerated climate change and population growth, the current trend of frequent major disasters is expected to increase. Called The HUMLOG Challenge, the student competition will focus on Community Disaster Resilience. Teams will be challenged to identify a locally relevant natural disaster and develop a solutions packet that will address the community’s preparedness, response and level of resilience.

Learners Track

Taking you BEYOND the credential, the Learners Track is designed for graduate and undergraduate students who are committed to reskill, innovate, upskill, collaborate and are interested in making an impact in their community. Through the month of October, learners can engage in a variety of virtual experiences that facilitate collaboration, development and learning.

Questions? Contact smithglobal@umd.edu.

Please check back for 2023 information. Contact Marina Augoustidis at maugoust@umd.edu if you are interested in competing.

The competition allows students studying or interested in international business to solve a real-world challenge posed by a U.S.-based exporter. The goals of the NASBITE International Student Case Competition are:

• To provide college and university students the opportunity to work collaboratively on a creative solution to a real-world international business challenge, and to put their research, presentation and networking skills to work.
• To provide the sponsoring company access to the very best international business students presenting potential solutions to their international business challenges.
• To provide a solid foundation for student involvement and participation within NASBITE International.

Attend the information session to hear more about the program and from the CGBP professional who will be facilitating the program. 

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The Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP), managed by NASBITE International, is a nationally recognized certification sought by employers around the country. It confirms applied knowledge in international trade and export management and shows potential employers that the holder brings the level of global expertise and professionalism that is required in today’s competitive environment.

The center offers the CGBP Student Pathways Cohort Program, a structured program intended to prepare a cohort of students for the CGBP exam and introduce them to and engage them with NASBITE International.

The program is comprised of a mix of four synchronous sessions and asynchronous study to prepare students to take the CGBP exam. The program offers facilitation by a CGBP professional, access to take the CGBP exam, networking and relationship-building opportunities, and NASBITE International Membership (a $75 value) which includes:

• CGBP study guide
• Preparation support
• Expert Helpline
• LinkedIn Student Group
• CGBP Practice Exam
• Other networking opportunities

Please check back for 2022-23 program information.

Enrollment, requirements, and preliminary fees

• All interested students are eligible to register.
• The registration deadline for this cohort has been extended and registrations are being accepted until Friday, February 25 2022.
• Students enrolled in the program will have the option to take the CGBP exam at any point during their program at Smith or up to four months after graduation.
• Students will have to enroll themselves to take the exam and pay upfront.
• Students will be obligated to submit their results to CGB to verify their passing of the CGBP exam.
• If a student passes, CGB will reimburse them the exam fee of $195.00.
• If a student does not pass the exam the first take, the student will not be reimbursed the fee of the exam.
• If a student does not follow through with exam commitment, the student will not be reimbursed the fee of the exam.

Structure

• Facilitated program through CGB will be held synchronously and asynchronous over a three-month period before a student is able to sit for the exam.
• Synchronously: Students will meet with a CGBP professional once every three weeks for two hours. Confirmed schedule will be based on availability of professional and students. If not, CGB will set this schedule.
• Asynchronously: Students will be assigned readings and other assignments correlated to each of the four domains of the CGBP exam in between synchronous meetings.
• Final content provided and how each session is devised is ultimately up to the CGBP professional.

Suggested calendar/content: