Page 51 - Global Focus, Issue 2, 2018

An ‘at home’ study abroad experience | Julie Davies, Pamela Decker, and Diane-Gabrielle Tremblay

s Edeltraud Hanappi-Egger noted in January’s So, while some students relish study abroad
AGlobal Focus, internationalisation and the opportunities and add multiple international
mindset of internationality are key for business internships to their CVs, others have little or
school accreditations and rankings and valuable nothing to illustrate the international mindset
for individual students. that business school accreditations and many
Yet the pendulum has swung towards employers require.
anti-globalisation in a Trump era. In this article, Beyond evidence amassed in business schools
we reflect on the multiple benefits of organising to showcase international orientations such
an annual international week on campus as a as overseas faculty members, visiting faculty,
solution to reaching students for whom a study international partnerships and cross-country
abroad experience is not an option. research projects, how can business school
leaders address the blind spots of those students
Recreating studying abroad while staying put at risk of graduating without exposure to any
Nitin Nohria, Dean at Harvard Business School, international study / work experience?
has invested significantly this decade in requiring This was the challenge facing Jérôme Rive
MBA students at the end of the spring term at iaelyon School of Management in France over
to participate in its FIELD (Field Immersion a decade ago before he became Dean of the
Experiences for Leadership Development) Global school. Although 23% of students did study
Immersion Programme (FGI). Student teams are abroad (10% higher than the average in similar
sent into global markets for a week to develop a business schools), he was concerned about
new product or service concept for global partner the other 77%.
organisations. The FGI method is intended to
complement Harvard’s signature case method. Thinking large in Lyon
Clearly, though, few business schools can afford The motto of iaelyon School of Management
this level of investment. Indeed, not all business is “think large”. This reflects adaptable and open
school students have the financial wherewithal, mindsets. Its mission is to be a “socially sensitive”
inclination, or personal circumstances to enable enterprise as one of the largest full-service
them to study abroad. university-based business schools in the French
public sector. The international week exemplifies
“thinking large” in practice.

Background and purpose
IAE’s international week was created by
Jérôme Rive in 2006 to address his ongoing
concern regarding the vast majority of students
who did not benefit from an international study
abroad experience. How would these individuals
23% face the multiple facets of globalisation after
they graduate and enter the workplace?
Dean Rive felt strongly that some of
While 23% of students IAE’s students needed a different type of
at iaelyon School of
Management study abroad internationalisation programme to replace the
(10% higher than the lack of a study abroad experience on their CV.
average in similar business In line with the School’s values, such a
schools), the challenge
was the other 77% programme would also be centred around its
49