Business Studies Initiatives

Participating countries:

78 countries

Participating universities:

approx. 150 universities

Project description:

X-Culture is an international cooperation project in which students work in global virtual teams for two months to create a business plan. The X-Culture project was launched in 2010 by the Bryan Business School at the University of North Carolina. By now, 150 universities from 78 countries with approximately 6000 students participate each semester.

In the X-Culture project, which is part of the course "The Global Marketplace" (Prof. Dr. Simona Gentile-Lüdecke, Faculty TW, Master's programme International Marketing and Communication), students are divided into global virtual teams with 4/5 students from other countries.

Different communication styles and different time zones are only the superficial hurdles to overcome. In a global virtual team, students develop solutions to real business challenges faced by their corporate partners around the world under the supervision of their instructors.

Duration:

2 months

Participating countries:

Germany - Finland

Participating universities:

Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences (Heilbronn) - Haaga Helia (Helsinki, Finland)

Project description:

Students from the two partner universities play the business simulation General Management in mixed, intercultural teams. The simulation is part of the curriculum at both universities.

The students' task is to successfully lead a company in the copier industry through the various economic phases and to increase the company's share price. Each company has a management team consisting of 4-5 people and tries to outdo the competition through smart decisions and proper planning.

Changing economic data cause some surprises and competitors do not always act the way you thought they would. Through the simulation, management is practised in a playful way and dealing with uncertainty and complexity is trained. Through the cooperation with students from the partner university, intercultural skills are also trained.

Duration:

Every semester, alternately in Helsinki and in Heilbronn

Participating countries:

Germany - Czech Republic - Belgium - Netherlands - Spain - Poland - France

Participating universities: 

Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences (Heilbronn) - University of Finance and Administration (Prague, Czech Republic) - Inholland University of Applied Sciences (The Hague, Netherlands) - University of Zaragoza (Zaragoza, Spain) - University CEU of San Pablo (Madrid, Spain) - University College Ghent (Flanders, Belgium) - University of Economics in Katowice (Katowice, Poland) - Université Catholique de l'ouest (Nantes, France) - is continuously being expanded

Project description:

The "Blended Intensive Programme - The Future of Banking and Finance" is an international cooperation project on "Sustainable Banking in Europe" with various European partners.
The six thematic areas covered by the cooperation project are:

1. Business Rating
2. Taxation, financial regulation, sustainable fiscal and monetary policy
3. Corporate Governance
4. Evolution of Banking 2020 and beyond // the influence of Fintech
5. Alternative ways of financing for SMEs
6. Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) / Sustainable Developments in Banking and Finance

About 5 students from each university take part, with each student choosing a topic and then working on it in an international group. In the preparatory phase, each group works on its topic in a joint written paper. Afterwards, the "BIP Days" take place in presence at one of the partner universities with specially tailored lectures, guest lectures, excursions and an international group work.

Duration: