Rubenstein spoke at the Meridian International Center as part of WorldStrides Capstone programs’ first-ever educational roundtable, the Global Education Summit. WorldStrides CEO Jim Hall and Meridian’s Executive Director, Ambassador Stuart Holliday, also spoke at the dinner event. On Saturday, the group assembled to learn more about WorldStrides’ capabilities as a global organization, and participate in two panel discussions. The first panel on trends in international residencies featured Howard University Dean Barron Harvey, Fuqua School of Business Global Programs Administrator Bertrand Guillotin, and Michael Lord, director of the nonprofit The Washington Campus.  The second panel included representatives from Marriott, Oracle, Ramu-TV, and EMC, and focused on what matters to CEOs and hiring managers in cultivating talent with global perspectives.

The weekend was capped with a VIP tour of Washington, D.C.’s fascinating Newseum, a museum dedicated to media and the events journalists have covered over the past 200 years.

Results from a post-weekend survey indicate a strong interest in making the Global Education Summit an annual event. Below, see some comments from university faculty and administrator attendees:

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to attend the conference. I definitely benefited from the exposure to different parties involved in study abroad at other universities.”

“Spectacular venue and beyond spectacular talk from Mr. Rubenstein…thank you a million for that lovely evening.”

“The weekend was first class all the way. The WorldStrides staff were friendly, helpful, and very professional.”

Per WorldStrides Capstone programs’ standard safety protocol, neither group was visiting in or near the Gaza Strip, where most of the air strikes and rocket attacks were isolated. Though the groups were never in danger, participants on both programs heard sirens and warnings in the cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

WorldStrides maintains a standing evacuation plan for travel to Israel, which Rick Rosenfeld, Director of Risk Management, implemented immediately. Even before the group departed, our dedicated visa team had confirmed that nearly all participants could enter Jordan without visa complications; when the violence began, our ground team in Jordan was placed on standby. With 24/7 monitoring of news feeds, State Department guidance, and International SOS alerts, our team determined that an evacuation was unnecessary. Still, in Israel, staff members traveling with the special administrators programs took time to host Q and A sessions with both groups and facilitated the departure of several students who elected to return home.

Both programs left the country as scheduled with no incident, and WorldStrides is pleased to see that a cease fire is holding in this important geo-political and economic region. We are grateful for the kind words of Amanda Pollock, Assistant Director of Global Programs at the Daniels College of Business, who wrote us after the program. “Everyone at WorldStrides, from Kathy to Earl to Rick to Daniel, was absolutely fantastic. Your responsiveness and organization made the week much easier! And we had a fabulous last few days. The students ended on a high in Jerusalem and we are all feeling like it was a great trip,” she said.

In his role as General Manager of our China office, Richard Lin will oversee the development of educational programs for Chinese students and help broaden WorldStrides’ footprint in this essential region. Richard earned his BA and MBA in the United States (at University of Washington and Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, respectively) and has lived and worked in Hong Kong and China since 2002. Matt Huttner, Vice President and Assistant General Manager of the China division, is a graduate of Yale University’s acclaimed East Asian Studies program and has spent his career in Hong Kong and China, in a variety of industries.

“Richard and Matt both have diverse business networks and deep roots in China and Hong Kong,” notes Holland Burton, Director of the Global Business Meetings Practice. “Their expertise and their connections will be tremendous assets in arranging meaningful business visits for travelers. We are thrilled to have them as part of the team.”

Additionally, two WorldStrides Capstone team members will spend the year working abroad from Argentina, offering operational support and strengthening relationships with businesses, hotels, and guides on the ground in South America. Lauren Reppa, a tenured Director of Program Development, will focus on refining our knowledge of economic realities in the region and developing our network of ex-pats with connections to local industry. Operations Analyst Travis Black is charged with supporting operations in South America and sourcing local suppliers.

WorldStrides operates 15 offices worldwide, with more than 500 full-time staff members on four continents supporting our educational travel divisions. In 2012 alone, we partnered with nearly 100 universities to develop WorldStrides Capstone programs in 62 countries. Our staff’s global presence has been, and will continue to be, a key component in strengthening the quality of our programs. Contact us for more information on planning a program.

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.