Smith School Hosts 40 Visiting Students from Australian University

Forty graduate students from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, visited the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business for a two-week study program, Jan. 8-19, 2018. Eight Smith School faculty shared their expertise with the students on topics ranging from international business to personal branding and from integrated marketing to supply chain management. The array of content shared with the students showcased the Smith School’s vast areas of expertise.

For 18 consecutive years, the Smith School has hosted a group of students from RMIT University. The strong partnership connects these international students with faculty and resources at the Smith School and at the University of Maryland – connecting people from all over the world with our region.

While in Maryland for the two-week study program, students also went on cultural and business-focused site visits throughout the region. The program began with a visit to the World Bank Group for a briefing from the head of the speaker bureau. The students also had the opportunity to hear from a senior official at the International Monetary Fund and attend a panel discussion at the Embassy of Australia in Washington, D.C. A highlight of the program included a visit at City Garage, a coworking space in Baltimore, Md., which gives entrepreneurs a space to collaborate and pursue innovative ideas.

The group toured the U.S. Naval Academy and Maryland State House, completed a consumer case study at Walmart, and visited Harley-Davidson Vehicle Operations Center in York, Pa. The tour of the motorcycle manufacturing plant exposed students to business operations and the step-by-step manufacturing process that each bike goes through.

“I really liked the Harley-Davidson tour,” shared RMIT student Ricardo Pascotini. “We saw how the bikes were built from metal plates to bikes, and the quality control there is unbelievable. My favorite lecture was on personal branding. I learned a lot about how to behave in a business context.”

“Partnerships with institutions and universities such as RMIT University are at the core of the mission of the Center for Global Business,” explained Rebecca L. Bellinger, executive director of the Center for Global Business. “It is an honor to host these groups in Van Munching Hall, showcase the talented faculty at the University of Maryland, and connect international visitors to the education and business ecosystem in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.”

On an annual basis, the Smith School hosts approximately 10 programs and visiting delegations from around the world. Click here to learn more about bringing an international group to the Smith School.

- Elizabeth Burzenski, Center for Global Business