Smith Students Take Studies Abroad During Winter Session

Between the end of the fall semester and the start of the spring semester of the 2025-26 school year, undergraduate students at the Robert H. Smith School of Business had the opportunity to explore international business in places around the world. 

The Smith programs took students to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Spain, Malaysia and Singapore, and Switzerland. Students immersed themselves in the culture of each country while also specializing in an area of global business. Across the four programs, 90 undergraduate students participated; most students are part of the Smith School but the programs are also open to students from other schools across campus. 

The courses give students the opportunity to participate in mini-case studies, assess the current economic climate for U.S. companies and in some cases, interact in design activities with local students.

Students who traveled to the UAE explored the country’s role as a U.S. trading partner and the country’s transition to a knowledge-based economy. Topics explored included global challenges in energy, construction and technology. 

"My study abroad experience in Dubai was unforgettable, from forming meaningful friendships to fully immersing myself in a new culture,” said supply chain and marketing student Evan Lobo ’26. “It was an eye-opening experience that strengthened my personal and professional goals, and I would absolutely do it again without hesitation."

In Spain, students discovered the intersection between art, science and business with visits to Barcelona, Madrid and Segovia. Iconic landmarks and cultural institutions were on the itinerary as students gained insight into how cultural perspectives shape creative problem-solving. 

Students also explored the differing economies and business environments of Malaysia and Singapore, which senior finance student Manasa Alur ’26 said was “one of the most impactful experiences” of her time at the University of Maryland. In Switzerland, the program inspired junior marketing major Ashely Chavez ’27 to pursue more study abroad opportunities and will be interning in Madrid, Spain this summer. “Studying abroad in Switzerland completely shifted the way I see the world,” Chavez said. 

Led by the Center for Global Business (CGB) at the Smith School, in collaboration with the Education Abroad program, study abroad opportunities are not the only ways for students to immerse themselves in international business. CGB offers opportunities to hear from industry leaders, to explore international companies in the U.S. and to visit Embassies in Washington, D.C.