Program Location

The first week in Brussels, Belgium, focuses on the corridors of European power and their relation to intra and extra community business. Next, the program moves to Amsterdam to explore the city (canal tour organized) before heading for Haarlem for Finance, Logistics and Business Culture in Europe sessions, linked to the relevant field visits. The group returns to the hotel in Amsterdam every night.

The end of the second week is spent in Normandy, France (Le Havre and Caen), where participants attend E-Business and Regional Economics, Industrial Management and Logistics workshops and lectures. While in Le Havre, a day excursion is organized to Caen, Bayeux, Omaha (D-Day Beaches). Several days in Paris provide the opportunity to sightsee as well as to work on the group project before departing for Spain.

The final week is spent in Barcelona, the dynamic capital of the Catalunya province in Spain. To reach Barcelona, participants travel by the "Hotel Tren" Joan Miro (overnight sleeper). During the week in Barcelona, participants discuss issues facing Southern Europe and EU Strategic Marketing and make an presentation of their project before a panel of faculty and industry experts. A visit to the world famous Torres Winery includes a wine tasting demonstration, banquet and award ceremony, which act as an introduction to Wine Culture.

Program

The Know Europe Program was developed over 10 years ago for students from partner institutions of the Normandy Business School (École de Management de Normandie). It provides participants of the program with a first-hand initiation into the European business context at graduate level. Participants have the unique opportunity to appreciate the complexity of the European scene, both from a Northern and Southern Europe perspective.

Integration into the European business context is achieved through a series of lectures and field trips which provide participants with the opportunity to explore issues with European professors and managers and to observe some of the issues personally as they travel through Northern and Southern Europe.

Program Highlights:

· It focuses on both Northern and Southern Europe business and cultural differences. Students stay long enough in each place to make the local environment relevant and meaningful.

· All instructors are Europe-based and come from a variety of European universities and businesses.

· Sessions are taught in the location where the local business and industrial contexts provide the most relevant field trips.

· The program is hosted by five European Business Schools and is run on a non-profit basis for students of their partner institutions.

· Participants come from partner institutions all over the world. This diversity of participants on the program and the ability to interact with European managers and European students help develop a truly global perspective.

· A project is conducted in teams throughout the program culminating in a presentation to a panel on the final day. This experience gives ample opportunity for interaction between the members of the group and provides incentive to reflect on the business environments in the various locations. During this time, the various faculty members act as consultants in their specific fields, either directly or via the Internet.

Academic Program

You will be involved in a team project that will be addressed transversally throughout the four weeks of the program. This is a project, applied to a specific industry problem, which will give you an opportunity to use the material and knowledge derived from classroom sessions and field visits.

The teams will be established during the Introduction Session on the first night in Brussels. Each group will elect one project only on which to concentrate. However, even if your own suggestion is not accepted eventually, any preliminary desk research you may do will not be wasted since it will help you make more valid contributions to your group's project.

UIC students will receive six semester hours of credit for the program. A letter grade of CR (credit) will be given for successful completion of the program. The CR grade is not averaged into the UIC semester or cumulative GPA.

Accommodation

A great deal of time and effort is spent trying to find accommodation that is comfortable and conveniently located both for attending classes and sightseeing. All accommodation is on a double-room, sharing basis unless students pay a supplement to secure a single room ($500 USD). This must be paid in advance, as once the program has commenced, the program cannot guarantee availability of single rooms.

Program Duration

The 2008 program will run from June 7 – July 5, 2008.

Program Eligibility

MBA students as well as upperclassmen with high academic achievements and the approval of their academic advisor are eligible for the program. All candidates are evaluated on the basis of their academic standing and their background.

Application Procedures

The deadline for application submission is March 1st to guarantee admission. The first step is to complete BOTH the UIC Exchange application and the Know Europe application (note: only one academic reference is required for summer programs). The completed applications should be returned to Kristin Kutella in the Office of International Affairs. A non-refundable deposit of $250 made payable to the University of Illinois at Chicago is due at the time of application, with the balance due by April 19^th. There is an additional $500 non-refundable deposit if a single room is requested.

Program Costs

Students pay UIC summer tuition and fees for 6 credit hours as well as a program fee (for accommodation, transportation, and programming). The fee is 2,850 Euros (~$4223 USD) for double room occupancy or 3,600 Euros (~$5,335 USD) for single room occupancy. Enrollment information will be provided upon receipt of final KE balance payment. Included in the fee are all instructional materials, housing, and transportation between points, program-related excursions, and receptions from arrival in Brussels to completion in Barcelona.

Additional costs include: passport, student travel health insurance (about $35, arranged independently with UIC’s help, upon acceptance), airfare (generally ranges from $800-1200 but varies each year) and personal expenses.