University of Rhode Island (URI)
Representatives from the URI College of Business came to visit HAW Hamburg at the beginning of May. Dr. Shaw Chen, associate dean for graduate programmes, has led the development of the strategic cooperation between the business schools since the cooperation came into being in 2006. He was joined by Dr. Maling Ebrahimpour, dean of the college; Dr. Donna Gamache-Griffiths, senior lecturer and coordinator of the International Business Program; and Dr. Kristin Johnson, interim vice provost for global initiatives at URI.
The discussions focused on new formats for teaching collaborations and exchange between the business schools, and two new ideas were developed during the visit. Starting in the summer semester 2023, the undergraduate International Management Programme will introduce a new collaborative online international learning (COIL) component as part of the International Organisation and Cooperations course taught by Prof. Dr. Natalia Ribberink. She will work with Dr. Donna Gamache-Griffiths, who will teach the COIL component as part of her MGT 448 International Dimensions of Business course. The four-week programme will bring URI and HAW Hamburg students together in transatlantic teams. They will participate in joint virtual lectures and be given the task of completing and presenting an international business research project.
URI students are currently coming to Hamburg as part of the International Business Program, which includes a study and internship year in Germany. In order to increase the study-abroad options at URI, the decision was made to develop an International Business Certificate for Non-Global Business majors. URI students will have the opportunity to take four HAW Hamburg business classes in English. The pre-approved courses will transfer back for a full semester of credit towards their business degree, which means that their time to graduation will not be extended.