For the third consecutive year, Bentley University received an $189,702 grant from the U.S. Department of State to host a Summer Institute for Outstanding European Students (SIOE) from July 11 to August 15, 2010. Twenty-two undergraduate students from Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and United Kingdom will travel to Bentley to learn about the United States, its people and culture and develop leadership and entrepreneurial skills.
The SIOE program consists of a series of workshops and seminars designed to help participants gain a better understanding of entrepreneurship in all forms, develop leadership skills, learn about the U.S. society, history, diversity, arts and culture, and engage in community service.
"We are proud to be selected by the State Department to host the third Summer Institute for Outstanding European students," says Professor of Marketing and Program Director Abdolreza Eshghi. "Building on the last two years' experiences, we have designed an exciting and innovative program that will not only teach the participants about the U. S. society, but also further develop their leadership and entrepreneurial skills."
Classroom lectures are complemented by a relevant experiential activity or field trip; for example, curriculum on the American Revolution will be reinforced by a walk along the Freedom Trail in Boston. The workshop "Diversity in America" includes a guided tour of ethnic neighborhoods in Boston, led by teenagers living in those neighborhoods.
Bentley will also host the 6th annual International Summer Institute at Bentley (ISIB) from July 5 to July 28, 2010. This year's program will bring 35 advanced undergraduate and graduate business students from eight different countries including Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Romania, and Russia for a three-week intensive study of key prevailing business trends -- particularly globalization in respect to emerging markets, information technology, entrepreneurship; and the role of service as the key driver of long-term corporate survival and growth.
ISIB students will attend a series of seminars including:
- Globalization and the Rise of Multinationals from the Emerging Economies
- Business Innovation through Advanced Information Technology
- Competitive Strategies in the New Millennium
- Entrepreneurship and Collaborative Innovation
- World-Class Service
Faculty experts from Computer Information Systems and Management departments will teach in the program, which includes a number of cultural activities and excursions into Boston, New York City and Rhode Island designed to familiarize the participants with American history and culture.
"I am pleased that ISIB is appealing to more and more business students from around the world," says Eshghi, founding director of ISIB. "The program has created a great deal of visibility for Bentley at world class universities around the world and it promises to expand its reach in the years to come."