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Going Into The Cave: SBT Students Study Commerce Throughout China
During their stay, students learned more than just the unique requirements companies have to abide by in order to conduct business in China. The study trip also used these three incredible cities as living classrooms with Dr. Debbie Psihountas weaving excursions, lectures and tours into the key differences between everything from marketing and financing to human resource management and leadership. “This course was ideal for those graduate students who have dreamed of studying abroad, but cannot afford to take eight or nine weeks away from home and work obligations,” Psihountas explained. “Students can have a resume that reflects their commitment to globalization, i.e., ‘studied abroad in China with Webster University,’ while minimizing the stress of actually having to plan to be away for two months.” Undergraduate students also benefited from the distinctive class. They were able to use it as one of the three graduate courses that qualify for credit toward their undergraduate degree programs.
“Since Webster's China campus offers only graduate degree programs, this is the perfect opportunity for an undergraduate student to get to China,” Psihountas says, this summer, those taking advantage of the opportunity included students from America, Romania, Lebanon, Nigeria and Libya. The evolution of China’s cities into thriving and ever-growing centers of business and commerce made the country a great classroom. Students took in the sights while gaining an incredible first-hand look into the various aspects of business negotiations that make the country unique. Areas of study included the enforcement of patent protection and how U.S. companies might move forward in China given the country’s history of copyright infringement. Classtime included meetings with companies already doing business in China such as British Petroleum, the Gallup Organization, British law firm Herb Smith and Anheuser Busch. Students zipped on protective suits to watch workers produce MRI imaging agents at General Electric and examined the insides of water heaters at the AO Smith plant in Nanjing. “Students benefited by virtue of the fact that this is an online course combined with a live portion in China,” added Psihountas. “Similar classes offered in the past included students from Vienna, Austria, Leiden, Holland and Jordan, in addition to students from six different U.S. states. This is a great opportunity to travel the world, enhance your resume and background, meet new people from all over the globe, and more!”
With Ministry of Education’s authority, Webster soon joined with the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) in Chengdu and the SUFE in Shen Zhen to expand its M.B.A. offerings. Currently, there are more than 1,000 Webster M.B.A. graduates in China. Today, Webster University-China offers the Joint-M.B.A. degree program, undergraduate programs for students outside of China, online programs and study abroad services. |
NOTE: Since 1996, Webster University has been in partnership with Shanghai University of Economics and Finance (SUFE), a landmark in global business education in the People's Republic of China, making it the first to be recognized by the Beijing Ministry of Education for Joint M.B.A. instruction. 
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