Going It Alone: Developing An Independent Study Abroad Program

Abstract

With a greater focus on internationalization, today’s business students are encouraged to participate in study abroad programs.  For smaller, regional business programs seeking a quality study abroad program, faculty and administrators may view “piggybacking” onto existing programs of larger universities as their only viable option.  However, piggyback participation in external programs may require that a university forsake its own standards and objectives, and accept the objectives of other study abroad programs.   Building on the experiences of one university’s study abroad program for MBAs, the idea that piggybacking onto other schools is the only means of creating a high quality international experience for students is rejected.