Julian Gaspar, director of the Center for International Business Studies (CIBS), recently signed agreements with Tsinghua University in Beijing, China; Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador; National University of Singapore; and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in Spain. These agreements add four new Reciprocal Exchange programs to the CIBS collection of 25 overseas exchange programs.

Two of the exchange programs were added for Mays graduate students, while Mays undergraduates will have access to two other programs. The immersion programs allow students to experience international business and cultural practices first hand.

“The key is to get our students out and expose them to the dynamic regions of the business world,” Gaspar said.

Undergraduate students have the opportunity through these programs to earn business certificates in International Business, European Union Business or Latin American Business. The certificate programs require students to take courses in international business as well as develop a better understanding of other cultures and languages.

“Since business is global in nature, students need to be in tune with developments globally so they will not be handicapped in the business world,” Gaspar said. “Unless students see the world for themselves, they won’t appreciate the business implications of global events.”

These programs are expected to be available in Fall 2005. For more information about these or other international programs, please visit the CIBS Web site at http://cibs.tamu.edu/.