Last week, the scandal surrounding a top contender for leadership of the Communist Party became the newest wrinkle in the unfolding political saga that is captivating the world. The questions that will face the new leaders of China when they are ushered in this fall read like the curriculum of an MBA course on its emerging economy: What’s next for the yuan? Which Tier 2 cities will boom, and which will falter? How will MNCs respond to China’s rising labor costs?

As interest in China grows and changes, so too does the repertoire of WorldStrides Capstone program themes there. Not only are we focused on more traditional studies, such as electronics manufacturing in Beijing or banking in Shanghai, but also auto manufacturing in Guangzhou and the emerging luxury market in Shenzhen. The breadth of industries and travel themes that our Global Meetings Practice helps travelers explore is expanding daily. Explore these new themes here as we proudly introduce China as our featured destination. It is well-established that a trip there is an eye-opening asset to any education. Contact us about how you and your students can explore China in new and exciting ways this coming year.

We’ve observed several paths to this goal:

1. Globalizing the student profile
2. Developing and/or recruiting a teaching faculty with significant international experience
3. Incorporating cases with a global edge throughout the curriculum
4. Partnering with foreign universities to offer exchanges of students, faculty, and ideas
5. Requiring an international business experience as a condition of graduation

WorldStrides is routinely called on to assist in executing the fifth pillar of globalizing the MBA curriculum. As a founding corporate member of the Executive MBA Council, we have been involved from the beginning in the evolution of EMBA international residencies from a “nice to have” to a “must have.” According to the EMBA Council’s 2011 membership survey, 90% of EMBA programs have an international residency and 66.4% require this global business experience as part of the degree. This figure has grown significantly over the past five years.

Increasingly, we have seen the example set by EMBA programs being steadily adopted amongst the broader MBA community. In the past five years, WorldStrides has witnessed extraordinary growth in requests for assistance from both professional MBA and full-time MBA programs, as more universities begin requiring a global business experience as a condition of the degree.

Consider the example of University of Louisville’s College of Business.

In 2006, the college overhauled its professional MBA program, transforming a flexible ad hoc curriculum into a standardized program completed over 24 months. Associate Dean Robert Nixon says it was unanimously decided that the professional program would include an international business trip overseas as a requirement of the degree. The program was so successful that the University of Louisville added the requirement to its MBA program for entrepreneurs and its new full-time program in 2010.

The ten-day trips, all organized in partnership with WorldStrides Capstone programs, are required credits per the MBA curriculum. Grades in the course are determined based on a pre-trip research and presentation project, student engagement during the international residency, and a post-trip written report. Nixon, Associate Dean of Masters Programs, says it’s a shift he’s recommended repeatedly to colleagues throughout the MBA community.

WorldStrides: Was there resistance among the faculty to the idea of requiring an international trip?

Nixon: There really wasn’t significant pushback. Everyone understood that we needed to have this international experience. We include the trip in the cost of tuition. There were some at the university who thought it would be difficult financially, but we had a tremendously positive initial response [from students], and have ever since.

WorldStrides: Did you consider planning the international residencies yourself?

Nixon: Not for a moment. I have talked to other universities that do this in-house, and I see the effort that they go through. In fact, I think they are clients of yours now!

WorldStrides: Which WorldStrides services have been most important in your decision to outsource?

Nixon: The visa service is a big one. Those are things that no one thinks about in academia. The contacts for the variety of business visits that WorldStrides gains entry to is phenomenal. And the contacts with the people on the ground in each location—I have a high confidence that all aspects of the ground operation will be high-caliber.

WorldStrides: How do you select the destinations students visit?

Nixon: I select ten possible trips. They all have the same format. I put them on a ballot and send it to the students to find out what is interesting to them. In the last three years, it’s been everything from Rio to Bangkok to St. Petersburg.

WorldStrides: And how do you choose the possible destinations?

Nixon: I want our students to visit less-developed countries, cutting-edge countries, or emerging markets. Our philosophy is that it’s important to bring students to a foreign country and move them outside their comfort zone, such as the experience of dealing with a foreign language and foreign customs. Also, Louisville is a large metro area, and we have a lot of international companies here. For our students, it’s important to have that credential—to have met with companies and interacted with business leaders in other countries.

WorldStrides: How have the programs been received by students/applicants?

Nixon: When we talk about the trip in the recruiting and admissions process, it’s something that is very attractive. And the trip is part of the buzz within the student network. Second-year students talk about it to first-year students. It really is an important part of what we do. We aren’t going back.

Contact us today for information on customizing a WorldStrides Capstone program to your university’s needs.

Are hospitals safe abroad?

In general, yes, but it can be quite variable. There will be some type of hospital or clinic that will be able to assist you. In large cities, most medical centers strive for an American medical standard. Most doctors are very well educated, and many speak English.

What do I need to know before I leave a hospital in a foreign country?

You should ensure that you receive the results of any tests or labs, as well as a complete diagnosis before you leave. Your insurance provider may need them, and a doctor will need as much information as possible if you require follow-up care. Once you leave the hospital, it may be very difficult to get your medical records.

How can WorldStrides help in an emergency?

The Doctors on Call program is a 24-hour service that can connect you to a physician here at George Washington University who can address your issue in real-time. If your issue is relatively minor, we can offer medical advice and solutions over the phone. If you have an acute problem, we can help with the decision of whether or not to go to the hospital, and recommend hospitals or clinics in the area. We’ll be there throughout the process to troubleshoot and ensure that you are getting correct information and an appropriate standard of care. If there is a language barrier, we can tap into a language service that can translate.

I worry about unfamiliar food on a trip abroad. Should I be concerned?

Most people can find safe food that is similar to what they eat at home. You should be mindful that many countries do not have the same standards about food safety and sources as we do in the United States. Participants should be particularly cautious about eating street food, as these dishes usually have the least amount of regulation. Group meals arranged at local restaurants by WorldStrides have been recommended by WorldStrides’ local partners and should cause no safety concerns.

What should I do if I get sick from food while traveling?

Most food poisoning takes care of itself. The thing to be aware of is the risk of dehydration. An otherwise healthy individual needs 2 to 3 liters of fluid a day to prevent dehydration while recovering from a food issue. If you can’t keep that liquid down, then you should seek medical attention.

What can I do to prepare myself for international travel?

I recommend the Centers for Disease Control’s website for up-to-date health alerts and vaccination information. If you have a chronic medical condition, you should consult your health care provider prior to traveling, as you may have specific health care needs.  I recommend bringing more of your medications than you think you’ll need, and packing them in your carry-on in case your checked luggage is lost. WorldStrides travelers can always contact their Account Manager with specific questions about a particular destination.

Thank you to Dr. Lang for taking the time to share his expertise. You can learn more about Doctors on Call and all of WorldStrides’ safety and security procedures here.

That’s the good news. But this recent report also pointed out a stark deficit in our progress. The students traveling overseas represent just 1% of American students enrolled in universities.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addresses this issue in a video shared by the U.S. Department of State late this fall. In it, she encourages students and administrators to do more to bolster study abroad programs across the country. “I am asking all American students to think about expanding your own worldview by studying in another country. I hope the administrators of our American colleges and universities will support this study abroad experience,” she says. Watch the full video here:

Admirably, the Open Doors Report also found that most campuses had taken proactive steps to strengthen study abroad participation in the past year. Sixty-one percent of their respondents said they had added the kind of faculty-led international trips for which WorldStrides leads the industry in supporting. The report also found, as we have, that interest in Africa and the Middle East is growing.

For more than 35 years, our staff at WorldStrides (formerly Accent and TravelMBA) has been committed to offering students the kind of business study travel programs that open new doors. We are passionate about working with universities to provide more than 1% of their students with a life-changing global experience.

Holland Burton leads WorldStrides’ team of expert business meeting planners. Prior to joining our team, Holland was a Vice President at McBee Strategic Consulting in Washington, D.C., where she provided strategic business planning and advisory services to emerging growth and Fortune 500 clients. She served as the Deputy White House Liaison at the Department of Defense from 2005 to 2007 where she interfaced with the Secretary of Defense’s office and the White House on domestic and foreign political matters. During her time at the Defense Department, Holland traveled to the Middle East on special assignments. From 2003 to 2004, Holland served as a Regional Political Director to President George W. Bush’s 2004 campaign. She has a BSBA from the University of Arkansas’ Sam M. Walton School of Business.

Nadia Badr was formerly creating and directing the international and domestic distribution of cell biology products with Global Cell Solutions. In this capacity, Nadia was the single point of communication, working closely with scientists, international distributors, and sales and marketing staffs to manage the agreements and relationships with the American, European, Asian, Middle Eastern and Australasian partners. Nadia also made significant contributions to the development, production and marketing of The BioLevitator™, a novel bench-top cell culture device named one of The Scientist’s“ Top 10 Innovations of 2009.” She holds BA degrees in Cognitive Science and Theatre and an MS in Biomedical Sciences (Neurosciences) from the University of Virginia.

Rebecca Judis serves both as an integral part of WorldStrides’ Global Meetings Practice and as manager of a consulting practice assisting government, SME, and Fortune 500 organizations from around the globe to forge strategic alliances for global growth. Previously, Rebecca served as Vice President of the World Congress on Information Technology, where she was responsible for international business development. In that role, she traveled to and hosted leaders from over 84 countries. Rebecca also spent six years with the Dana Corporation, investing in emerging energy technologies and working in mergers and acquisitions. Rebecca has an MBA in International Management from Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Management, and a BA in International Studies from Austin College.

Kim Killingsworth has spent more than15 years in international higher education, with extensive experience in MBA international admissions and exchange program management. Her previous employers include the Johnson School of Management at Cornell and IES Abroad, and her expertise in Latin America was developed through her management of the Fulbright Program and other grants programs for Latin Americans at LASPAU: Academic and Professional Programs for the Americas, based at Harvard. Kim was recently chosen as a lead instructor for a group of emerging female leaders from Afghanistan for a U.S. State Department-sponsored program, Women’s Empowerment and Leadership. Kim also served as a two-term Peace Corps Volunteer in micro business development in Honduras and Chile. She holds a BA from UC Davis, including a year spent at the Universidad Complutense in Madrid, and an MA in Spanish from Middlebury College.

Leah Milks has spent most of her career in marketing and corporate event and travel planning, serving clients in numerous industries including finance, real estate, and consumer goods. Most recently, she held the role of Director of Operations at Walker Brands, a leading branding agency headquartered in Tampa, FL, that serves a diverse base of clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to non-profit organizations.  Prior to that, she was the Manager of Marketing and Corporate Event Planning at Samuels & Associates, a large real estate development firm based in Boston, MA. Throughout her career, Leah has visited over 20 countries on four continents. She has also studied abroad in Mexico, Argentina and Spain. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Colorado State University.

Tish Zone is a former Deputy White House Liaison for the U.S. State Department, where she interfaced daily with ambassadors and senior Foreign Service officers around the world. She also served as the Confidential Assistant to the Secretary of the Army (and former COO of Westinghouse.) Additionally, Tish managed treasury, compliance, and press billing activities for the CFO of two presidential campaigns. During her time in the private sector, she was an associate with Infotech Strategies, focusing on e-business and e-government clients. Tish actively consults with business leaders in emerging markets, as well as larger multinational corporations and government leaders. She received her BBA from Emory University’s Goizeuta School of Business.

Contact us today to customize an international experience for your students with the expertise of our dynamic Global Meetings Practice.

“The Carlyle Group is highly committed to supporting leading organizations in the field of education, both here in the U.S. and around the world,” says Jim Hall, WorldStrides CEO. “We are thrilled to have them as part of the WorldStrides team and are confident that they will be a great asset to us as we continue to grow domestically and internationally.”

Our previous investors, including Charlesbank Capital Partners and Silverhawk Capital Partners, will continue as investors alongside The Carlyle Group. There are no management changes as a result of this transaction.

In the coming months, we look forward to unveiling additional improvements for our customers as a result of The Carlyle Group’s involvement; particularly in the area of our continuing emphasis in offering world-class business meeting content for our business school programs.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.

In 2008, Accent Travel Group became part of the WorldStrides family, joined in 2009 by TravelMBA to form the University Division of WorldStrides. Partnering with WorldStrides, the nation’s oldest and most trusted student travel organization, allowed our university clients to take advantage of the organization’s substantial investments in technology, safety, and program management systems. As a part of WorldStrides, we have further solidified our status as the industry leader for university-level international immersion experiences through the introduction of 24/7 medical access through the George Washington University Department of Emergency Medicine and recognition as the first organization of our kind to achieve accreditation through AdvancED.

We are thankful to our many clients who participated in our months of research. We are confident that, with your help, we’ve found a name that better identifies the wide variety of universities we serve and better reflects the WorldStrides mission of enriching students’ lives through experiential travel.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your Account Manager at 1-800-422-2368 or email university@worldstrides.org. For more information about the rebranding initiative for all of WorldStrides’ programs, please view our press release online.

Flying into Narita Airport in Tokyo last week, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. I have been sending groups to Japan for a decade and have some very close friends in the Japanese travel industry. We have stayed in close touch in recent months. The U.S. government and major governments around the world have all confirmed that Japan is safe to visit with no radiation concerns, aside from the 50-mile restricted area around the Fukushima plants.

What I saw on the ground in Tokyo and later in Kyoto confirmed my suspicions: Japan is open for business. Aside from higher temperatures set on building air conditioning and more focus on turning off televisions and lights when not in use, you would never know there had been such a devastating earthquake based on what you see in the big cities of central and southern Japan.

Yet what I experienced in Japan went far beyond “business as usual.” The Japanese people, who I have always considered reserved and formal with visitors, were warm, passionate, and open in discussing what happened earlier this year and their hopes for the future. When our small group was introduced to average citizens, their reaction was unanimous: “Thank you for coming, and please tell your clients that we want them to visit us.” By coincidence, our visit coincided with a visit and concert tour by Lady Gaga, who has raised millions of dollars to aid Japan in its recovery. The pop icon is sending a similar message to potential tourists, that Japan is—and always has been—a wonderful place to visit.

For schools still deciding on destinations for next year, Japan offers a unique opportunity for academic groups in 2012. Students can learn firsthand about how the government, businesses, and local communities recover from such a catastrophic event. Additionally, hoteliers and ground operators are signaling that they are willing to work with traveling groups to provide hotel rates that will partially offset the effects of the globally weak U.S. dollar. They believe that once a school experiences Japan, they will want to return in future years. Japanese companies appear happy to meet with groups to discuss business and to answer questions about how the earthquake has impacted and changed management philosophies and preparedness. Japan offers so much culture, nature, history, and cuisine to complement your business focus. It truly is a wonderful place to visit.

The University Division of WorldStrides is available to work with your school on setting up a trip, including business meetings and side trips, in Japan. This was a great trip for me, both personally and professionally. I hope you have an opportunity to experience Japanese hospitality, too.

Arigato and thank you,

Rick Rosenfeld
Founder, TravelMBA

To learn more about an academic trip to Japan, please email university@worldstrides.org or call 1-800-422-2368.

Click here if you are having trouble viewing this video

In particular, the last several years have brought increasing interest in travel to Africa. Emerging markets in Southern and East Africa, in particular, have proved to be ideal learning destinations for students and have created opportunities for interesting new business visits. The following examples outline just a few of the African markets where we work.

South Africa
As the most developed and well-known African nation, South Africa is a mainstay for academic programs. South Africa is one of only four African nations designated as an upper-middle economy by the World Bank and boasts a wealth of cultural and natural richness, in addition to its sophisticated financial market. Recent programs have integrated study of sports marketing and operations management as South Africa hosted Africa’s first-ever World Cup. Programs also focus on the country’s position as a telecommunications leader, organizational change management in a post-apartheid era, and sustainability strategies with consumer product groups like Massmart.

Rwanda
An increased focus on infrastructure, Information Communication and Technology (ICT), and global competitiveness has catapulted Rwanda to 80^th on the list of the world’s largest national economies and number one in the East Africa Community (EAC). International investors and academic programs alike have flocked to Rwanda to experience its booming economy. Several top programs visited Rwanda in January 2011, and all signs point to increased interest in the region. Bralirwa, the nation’s leading beverage company, provides an interesting opportunity for students to interact with company executives and they discuss social, environmental, and ethical responsibilities felt by the organization’s leadership, especially in the area of business conduct.

Tanzania
Traditionally rich natural resources have allowed Tanzania to rely on agriculture and mining as primary income sources, but recent economic reforms have brought substantial private-sector growth and foreign investment. As a result, Tanzania’s GDP per capita rose a staggering 40% from 1998 to 2007, and continues to rise. The majority of Tanzania’s population still remains an agrarian society. Programs have gained a holistic view of development — from government, non-profit, and businesses alike. Some examples include meeting with managers of Mt. Kilimanjaro game lodges, education ministry leaders in Dar Es Salaam, and non-profit Heifer International which provides students a deeper perspective on the intersection of humanitarianism and microfinance.

In addition to South Africa, Tanzania, Rwanda, other markets where we have witnessed a growth in programs include Namibia, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, Zambia and Mozambique. Working together, we are prepared and excited to open many more African markets to university study in the coming years.