2008 Chile Course

Students explored the business opportunities and risks of specific countries, as well as Latin America in general. Classes were taught by senior faculty at Babson’s partner school in Santiago, Chile.

"Going on the Chile trip was one of the best educational experiences of my life. Not only did I get to see a new part of the world and meet new people, I got to see things we learned about first hand. It was particularly interesting to be learning about the politics and governments in Latin America and then be in Chile on the day when they elected their first female president. Our speakers were incredibly knowledgeable and our site visits really helped to compliment our classroom experience. Outside of class, we also had a great time taking in the cities and the culture. Babson did a wonderful job of organizing this trip and I would highly recommend it to anyone considering taking an off-shore elective."

-Amy Ojena, Part time Evening MBA Student - May 2007

“This class truly offered a level of access to elite members of the business/political community and to the actual business professionals that helped orchestrate the reform that lead to Chile's success in an open market economy. Furthermore, everyone from UDD's faculty was exceptional and Pedro Arriagada was readily available and willing answer questions regarding any aspect of business or personal life in Latin America.”

“This class was simply amazing and provided a unique learning opportunity that immersed me into the Latin American business environment while providing a most memorable experience that I was glad I was able to share with 29 other classmates.”

2007 India Course

"The India course is a unique opportunity to learn about a complex culture in a country of extremes that is pivotal in shaping business both now and in the future. We visited a range of companies including Hero Honda, a motorcycle manufacturer, Patni Software, and Nicholas Piramal, a state of the art bio-pharmaceutical research and development company. I was amazed at how generous our company hosts were -- spending hours to discuss the intricacies of their business while opening a window into India culture." -- Christina Holmes, 2007

"I have now had the pleasure of taking two offshore electives for my Babson MBA.  The
first was the China elective. The second was the India elective.   Having spent close to
three weeks in China I thought I was prepared for what I was going to experience in India. Boy, was I wrong.

India was completely different than I expected.  To me it seemed like a country of extremes.  On one hand you have one of the largest economies of the world "incubating."
On the other hand the poverty and pollution are shocking.  The one constant appeared to be the friendliness of the people.  Everywhere we went everyone was extremely friendly and polite.

During the class we visited a variety of business in Delhi and Mumbai.  From manufacturing, to software, to politicians, we seemed to cover all segments of business
in India.   There was also a day trip to the Taj Mahal, one of the most gorgeous sights
I have ever seen.

We spent the last three days of the trip in Dubai, UAE.  This was definitely the highlight of the trip and a great way to end the class.  Dubai, like India, is also a city of extremes.  Except in Dubai everything is the biggest, tallest, or the best in the world.  The growth is truly staggering.  If you get the opportunity to go to India / Dubai, I highly recommend it.  Be sure to bring  your credit cards for Dubai.  The shopping there is great as is the indoor alpine skiing at the worlds largest shopping mall."  - Brad Besse 2007

“Armed with open minds and bottles of water, 25 business students discovered that halfway around the world exists many cultures within a single country, all with ready smiles, persistent innovations, and upbeat feelings about their futures.”

“The visit to India was truly a remarkable and life-changing experience as I gained a deep understanding of a developing nation's struggle to overcome poverty and corruption in its quest to emerge as an economic superpower.”

2007 Brazil Course

As we hustled round a small table in a crowded coffee shop in Logan airport, my mind began to speculate as to what the week had in store. Could we really get to know Brazil (a country of 160 million people and a host of cultures) in just seven days? What would the people and the terrain be like? Was it really as dangerous as some of the stories we had heard?

As we touched down in Sao Paulo, the excitement started to brew and I knew that the next seven days would be filled with the spirit of adventure. Working hand in hand with Fundacoa Getulio Vargas (the country’s leading business school), Babson had laid on a programme of academic study, company visits, talks from entrepreneurs, cultural tours and even found time to give us a little rest and relaxation. More...

2007 Russia Course

For the past twelve years Professor Bill Coyle has led a group of Babson MBA students on an offshore elective course to St. Petersburg, Russia, over spring break week. Before leaving for the ten-day trip to Russia, students attend three Saturday sessions led by Bill Coyle and St. Petersburg professor, Dmitry Evstafiev, in preparation for their business and cultural experience abroad. This year’s program included classroom sessions at St. Petersburg State University, as well as visits to corporate businesses, government offices, and cultural sites. A unique aspect identified by many of the 34 Babson students on this trip was having St. Petersburg University students accompany the group throughout their stay in Russia. One student commented as follows – “Without question the close interaction with the Russian students was the most useful element of the program. I learned more about Russia from them than I could ever learn in a classroom.” Upon their return, students are required to reflect on what they have learned both professionally and personally with regard to the business and cultural aspects of the trip. More...

2007 European Union Course

It was a dark, overcast Sunday evening. Leaning against the counter, a lonely receptionist named Jacques stared at us, as we waited in the lobby of the Tim Hotel, on Rue d’ Avron. Once everyone arrived, we stepped out into the chilly January evening in search of something to eat. Greeted by men and women strolling by with long baguettes under their arms and cigarettes in their mouths, we began our adventure…ah, Paris!

For two weeks in January (9th – 22nd), twenty-one students made their way through the streets of Paris, France and Barcelona, Spain; absorbing the sites, sounds, citizenry, business practices and overall culture of these two European cities. A combination of Full-Time, Fast Track and Evening students were led by two Babson College Strategy professors: Jay Rao and Carlos Rufin. The aim of our travel abroad was to understand the strategy, innovations, business methodology, challenges and rewards of operating in a global, and often times entrepreneurial, environment.

Our visits within Paris were focused mostly on larger, multi-nationals such as Disneyland Paris, Renault, Accor Hotels, and Plastic Omnium, with a visit to a unique, small pan-European advertising agency, RMP Advertising. Paris provided us full mornings and early afternoons of company visits and debriefs by the professors on the bus yet our evenings were free to explore the city and to experience what Paris was really about. Our sampling of the culture knew few boundaries, as we took in such tourist spots as the Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre, while at the same time found small out-of-the-way cafes and bars, Moroccan restaurants in the Latin Quarter, and shops with character lions on the sleeves and velvet jackets whispering to be bought.

After a full week in Paris, we took a two-hour flight to Barcelona. The night we arrived, FC Barcelona, the local futbol (soccer, to us Americans) team was playing; we had to go. The match provided a packed house of over 90,000 intensely focused fans, reacting with every shot upon goal, literally as if their lives depended on it. We had the opportunity to visit with the management of the futbol club a few days later and hear how this local team has not only turned around their club’s financial and on-field performance, but how they plan to continue to expand beyond the Barcelona city borders. In Barcelona, we visited with more distinctly Barcelonan and entrepreneurial institutions: the investment and savings bank La Caixa, the still family-owned Torres Winery, the Barcelonan division of Oxfam – Intermón Oxfam, and the business incubator - Barcelona Activa. Characterized by a very entrepreneurial environment, Barcelona provided our group the opportunity to hear from a new generation of business leaders succeeding in improving the welfare of the city, their inhabitants and visitors. In keeping with tradition, Barcelona still observes the “siesta” mid-day, which allowed us the time to explore the city in the daytime – and then again late at night.

Overall, the experience within Europe provided our group the opportunity to see how businesses are adapting to the changing nature of a globalized world. As Thomas L. Friedman discusses in his new book, The World Is Flat, the world is drawing closer together not just through large multi-national corporations but by individuals; connecting businesses and trading information and best practices. The sooner we all understand, experience, and embrace this smaller, changed world, the better prepared we will all be to aid each other and build upon the opportunities around the globe.

Dave Okenquist, Two year MBA Student – May ‘06

2005 China Course

“China? Awe inspiring, intense, changing, beautiful, flavorful, complex. Can you access a news source these days without hearing about the country?

This exciting off-shore elective personally introduced us to perhaps the most important international market today. We were afforded amazing insider access to a range of multinational, local and entrepreneurial companies including Lenovo, Shanghai GM and leading shirt maker TAL. And we were granted private audiences with Chinese government officials including the mayor of Pu Dong and a senior executive from the National Bureau of Statistics.

Required class preparation was highly relevant and interesting. Once there, be ready to go non-stop: the itinerary is packed with at least two company visits a day and excursions including the Summer Palace, Forbidden City and the Great Wall. Then there’s always local night-life to be explored with your MBA colleagues…

A well rounded experience, the China elective offered exposure to the country’s history, cuisine, culture, and business and political environment. It will be remembered as a highlight of my Babson education.” – Susan Splendido