The University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business, the Chinese University of Hong Kong in Shenzhen, and the University of Auckland, have partnered to form the Global Business and Innovation program. This cohort will be made up of selected students from University of South Carolina, CUHK (SZ), and UoA, who will study together for three semesters, taking courses in the three universities. This program will focus on providing tools for analyzing global business and innovation ecosystems, the interaction between corporate and startup innovation, and the opportunities and challenges that the global environment provides. Both Shenzhen and Auckland are innovation hubs, and studying one semester in each of them offers the students a unique opportunity for experiential learning. The multi-country cohort system helps students develop a ready-made network in China and New Zealand with cohort members and professionals in each market that will serve students well throughout their professional careers.
Graduates from the GBI cohort have a deep understanding of developing an innovation strategy, and as such, they are uniquely prepared for leadership-track positions, as well as business-development positions, consulting in innovation and strategy, or working for an innovative startup.
Year 1: Students spend their freshman year at South Carolina.
Year 2: South Carolina students continue their studies in Columbia. During their second semester, the cohort students from CUHK (SZ) and UoA join South Carolina students in the United States.
Year 3: In the fall, all cohort students spend the semester at CUHK (SZ) campus. In the spring, all cohort students spend the semester at UoA campus.
Year 4: South Carolina students will finish up their final year at South Carolina before graduating.
GBI students pay tuition fees only at their home institution. During their year abroad, tuition will be assessed on an exchange basis —that is, they pay tuition at their home institutions rather than at the university they visit. Exchange tuition is assessed at the in-state rate for South Carolina students regardless of residency status. Their housing and other living expenses will be based on the accommodation chosen and will vary accordingly. GBI students will also need to budget for travel expenses between home, China and New Zealand, as well as expenses related to cohort activities.
Students in the GBI program double major in international business and in management, with a concentration in entrepreneurship. The curriculum is designed to be integrated across the three institutions with preparation for the program beginning as freshmen. Each of the institutions will design a course specifically for the cohort, to leverage each partner’s strengths in global business and innovation. While all classes are offered in English across institutions, the GBI program is designed for students working toward a language proficiency in Spanish, German, French, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese, Russian or Arabic.
Shenzhen, China
Chinese University of Hong Kong – Shenzhen was founded in 2012. CUHK (SZ) specializes in business, science and technology, with a particular focus on innovation and business. Located in Shenzhen’s Longgang District,it has a quiet suburban feel yet is less than 30 minutes from the technology and business hub of Shenzhen. With English as the language of instruction and some 44 student organizations, CUHK (SZ) is an internationally focused and cosmopolitan university, leading the future of curriculum and academic development in China. Shenzhen, the first Special Economic Zone in China, is a vibrant city of more than 11 million people, and it is also China’s information-technology hub and an innovation ecosystem, the Chinese equivalent of “Silicon Valley.” Less than one-hour train ride away from Hong Kong, Shenzhen has a GDP that is shy of its neighbor. Although the main language spoken in Shenzhen is Mandarin, English is also commonly used in the region.
Auckland, New Zealand
The University of Auckland is the largest and leading university in New Zealand, with 40,000 students and a strong focus on research and innovation. The business school has created a full entrepreneurial ecosystem, from the Entrepreneurs Challenge for the students and the student incubator Velocity, to the university’s partnership in the renowned ICEHOUSE business incubator. The university is an integral part of the innovation hub that Auckland has become, attracting technical talent and investment from New Zealand and worldwide. Auckland is a safe, multicultural and vibrant city of 1.5 million residents, and surrounded by two harbors and native forests, it is the gateway to New Zealand’s natural beauty.
Because New Zealand is on the southern hemisphere, the spring semester at the University of Auckland starts late February or early March. This brings a unique opportunity to GBI cohort students, who can spend the longer (and warmer) winter break pursuing an internship in the region.
Recruitment and application process is delayed due to COVID-19. For more information, please contact undergrad.ib@moore.sc.edu.