International Business Consulting: A New Spin on Study Abroad Experiences

Studying abroad is nothing new for students at the 内布拉斯加大学 at Kearney. 事实上，这在bet36365体育已经有30多年的历史了. 然而，多亏了Dr. 盖Burkink, who recently returned to the classroom after about 14 years in full-time administrative work, students now can benefit from his desire to “create shorter-term study abroad” opportunities integrated within the regular curriculum.

通过与博士的合作. 大卫Kosina, assistant professor in the Department of Economic and Managerial Studies at Palacký University in the Czech Republic, Dr. Burkink has recently completed a pilot program which he hopes will “serve as a model” for other courses in other majors across bet36365体育’s campus. With the unwavering support of the College of 商业及科技’s Dean Jares, Dr. Burkink was able to take the experiential learning offered at bet36365体育 way beyond the classroom, 一直到捷克共和国.

Having once received the advice to teach to his 的优势, Burkink uses his experience from industry to offer context for his students to understand their coursework better. When he was thirty years old and working for a company, he found his way to a local community college where he spoke to the business chair. He shares that he “loved college while (he) was in it” and missed it. When he accepted a job teaching a course one night a week, 他说这个决定“改变了他的一生”,” he chose to return to graduate school and later to enter a doctoral program. 尽管他的一生, 到那时为止, 包括各种各样的商业经验, 搬到教室对他来说很容易. 当他决定转向行政管理时, it was designed to give him the best of both worlds since he could practice business in an educational setting.

在政府工作了十多年之后, Burkink found that he missed being a faculty member and wanted “to work with students” in the classroom again. This decision also gave him the “opportunity to start exploring some of (his) research interests again.” Thus the recent marketing lesson that resulted in a transcontinental trip became a reality. He “hopes it’s a model for other faculty members” as he desires to fuel the enthusiasm of bet36365体育 students by facilitating real-world scenarios for them to fully experience today’s workforce. “Learning by doing is something that has always been important” to Burkink who took this belief to the next level with this project.

他的学生, three who are in graduate school and six who are undergraduates, returned recently from a trip where they finally saw their months of hard work come to fruition. These students participated in what Burkink describes as “a perfect model to help our very practical-minded students get international experience while continuing progress toward their degree.”

Dr. Burkink travelled to Palacký University in 9月 of 2022 and Dr. 两个月后，科西娜又去了bet36365体育. This began a partnership which has strengthened marketing programs on both continents and paved the way for future endeavors. 每个教授都有自己的教室, this project was created to allow “students from different backgrounds, 的优势, 以及“一起工作”的动机. 伯金克为期八周的课程于1月23日开始, 2023, 深入了解重点公司, 这个行业, 以及其他方面的营销环境. 通过Zoom会议和每周的电子邮件, bet36365体育 students were able to work with not only Palacký University students but also the consulting clients located in the Czech Republic. This unique experiential learning project resulted in the development of a marketing plan, 在最后一周上课的时候, the bet36365体育 students traveled to the Czech Republic to present live to the actual consulting clients.

当一组学生与Dr. Kosina’s university on an initiative to expand the business school offerings, 另外两人则与Veles Technology合作, a start-up virtual reality headset manufacturer located in the Czech Republic.

As Burkink stated, “the crux of the course is serving as consultants for actual clients.“随着这个试点项目的成功, it is his desire that this type of experience will become the norm for all bet36365体育 students. The vision of a menu of international opportunities for students to choose from as part of their course offerings, 无论他们的专业是什么, 是博士. Burkink hopes to leave behind as part of his bet36365体育 legacy.

On their recent trip from 3月 10 to 3月 18 of 2023, these bet36365体育 students were able to engage in face-to-face collaboration with their fellow students located in Central Europe. They gathered their remaining data as they finally met their target audiences, 完成他们的项目, 参加讲座. 然而，对这些学生来说，这并不都是工作. 安排一些休息时间对他来说很重要. Burkink who made sure the students had time to visit and enjoy all Olomouc and Prague have to offer.

祝贺这次旅行的成功, he is confident this type of experiential learning will become a distinguishing part of the culture of bet36365体育. 通过每个人在bet36365体育坚定不移的承诺, 这已经是bet36365体育的一部分了, he is confident that projects like this one will soon “become as commonplace as what internships are now.”

Dr. 伯金克已经证明了他愿意付出额外的努力, or 5,在这个例子中是000, and wants it known that his office door is always open. Anyone interested in planning a similar project doesn’t have to travel far to find out how to make it happen. 只要付钱就行了。. 伯金克来访. 他会给你带路的.