In July of 2007, the College of Business and Technology was awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Education Title VI B Business and International Education Program (BIE). The Center for Rural Research and Development (CRRD) was charged with the management of these grant funds which have enabled many UNK faculty and students to travel and experience international business and education through research, teaching, international conferences, study abroad and international internship programs.
The BIE program entitled Global Economic Gardening: An Alliance for Business and International Education in Rural Nebraska was designed to change the current paradigm among our younger population so they begin thinking about growing global entrepreneurial capacity here in Nebraska's Third Congressional District by seeking global links, aquiring global business knowledge, and engaging in global economic growth to prepare them to be globally-focused rural business leaders.
Through alliances with regional leaders in govenment, business, and economic development, activities in this program are designed to help the targeted populations in rural Nebraska recognize and develop opportunities for engagement in global business by continuing to partner with the universities and businesses in Europe and Asia with which UNK has established relationships.
Specifically, the program's objectives and activities are:
Objective One (Acquiring
Global Business Knowledge): The grant will enable the college to (1) introduce an International Business minor in the undergraduate program, (2) implement
international internships and
study abroad opportunities for undergraduates, (3) create a web site to inform students, faculty and community about international business opportunities and
experiences, (4) develop a speaker database of faculty and students who have international business experiences, and (5) hold global awareness seminars for students. Further, to encourage the understanding and embracement of the possibilities of global entrepreneurship in the region's K-12 student population, a web-based, pod-casted international entrepreneurship curriculum with complementary lesson plans will be created and made available to the regions elementary and secondary teachers.
Objective Two (Seeking Global Links): The grant will enable the College to strengthen its
faculty through participation in international conferences and study programs. This will create an environment conducive to teaching, learning, and scholarship in international business.
Objective Three (Engaging In Global Economic Growth): The grant will enable the College to provide networking opportunities for entrepreneurs, business owners, and undergraduate students while learning about and engaging in international business practices and opportunities through (1) seminars and professional development programs, and (2) a non-credit certificate program in International Business and Technology.
Going Global includes world-wide job openings, internship listing, industry profiles and country-specific career and employment information. More than 30,000 pages of constantly-updated content is included on topics such as: work permits/visa regulations, resume writing guidelines and examples, employment trends, salary ranges, networking groups and cultural/interviewing advice.