Global Center

The Global Center is a "Center of Excellence" attached to the School of Business, at Southern Connecticut State University. Launched in 1999, the Global Center represents the recognition that if the university is to contribute to the career development of its students and faculty, it needs to actively address the on-going process of globalization. It also must provide support to those in the regional business community who are also affected by the changes in competition and world markets. This can be done by forming linkages or partnerships between business people, academics, and students located around the world to better understand the theories and practices that are emerging as significant in the current globalization of business activity.

The Global Center encourages undergraduate and graduate students to travel abroad for an international study experience. This may be a program that lasts two weeks, or one that represents a year in a foreign country.

The Global Center serves in a counseling role to students specializing in International Business. Besides advisement based on career interests, appropriate foreign experiences are suggested to further develop the students' perspectives of cultural differences and the unusual demands made on an international manager.

Through various grants, The Global Center brings in outside speakers to address international business courses. These guest lectures provide students with the special insights only active practitioners can offer.

In an effort to bring more international students to the SCSU campus, The Global Center has established a "Global Ambassadors Club." We ask selected foreign students on their trips home to bring informational packets with them and discuss the educational opportunities with their friends and family. We hope such efforts will add to the diversity students encounter on the campus.

Faculty

If classroom learning is to reflect the real world it is critical that faculty also participate in international experiences, so as to be kept abreast of what is going in the international arenas of their disciplines. This can be done by attending some of the excellent faculty development workshops being offered at institutions known for their international focus. Even better, are trips abroad to teach a special workshop or maybe an entire semester in a foreign institution. The Global Center uses its resources to support financially as many of these activities as possible.

The Global Center develops proposals to seek grant support for these types of faculty activities. It also searches for opportunities for faculty to consult with foreign businesses or other academic institutions abroad who would like the take advantage of the expertise that exists at Southern Connecticut State University.

Outside the University

The Global Center sponsors workshops, conferences, and seminars of interest to the business community on topics related to international business. It invites outside experts to provide the insights regional business leaders require to be competitive.

Faculty is also available to provide reasonably priced consulting services to those in need. The School of Business is fortunate to have a wide mixture of faculty who themselves come from many parts of the world. Local businesses can make use of this existing resource by contacting The Global Center who will put them in-touch with individual professors who can answer their questions and concerns.

Other programs such as travelogues and discussions of recent world events are occasionally offered to community groups keeping to the world focus theme.

Need for Outside Support

The Global Center involves regional businesses in the learning process by sharing their experiences in international activities. Students need to hear real-life success stories as well as failures if they are to appreciate the challenges ahead. Company executives with global responsibilities hopefully will offer a few hours of their time speaking to students either formally in the classroom, or at one of the business clubs' meetings.

The Global Center solicits scholarship money to help students to attend overseas programs. Even small donations can encourage help a promising students to go abroad by helping to defray the added costs of travel these initiatives entail.