Maine Perspective Front Page
UMaine Business School Steps Up Its International Focus
The internationalization of the University of Maine Business School's curriculum has received a $300,000 boost with the award of a federal matching grant to develop an undergraduate concentration in international business in the Business School.
The growing international focus of the School builds on existing courses in international business, and mirrors the spirit of the affiliated William S. Cohen Center for International Policy and Commerce, which last fall received a $1 million grant from the Starr Foundation.
In addition, a search is now under way for the first scholar to hold the John M. Murphy Chair of International Business Policy and Strategy in the UMaine Business School. The endowed chair was made possible by a recent $1.5 million donation from John Murphy, Class of '64.
"UMaine has to be more globally focused," says Eric Brucker, dean of the College of Business, Public Policy and Health. "Not only are international exports growing, but more and more non-U.S. companies are buying firms in Maine. Maine is fourth in the nation in the percent of its labor force employed by international companies.
"The globalization of the educational process is a campuswide project, with an 11-person advisory board representing three colleges," Brucker says.
The two-year, $150,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education is matched by UMaine and the Maine International Trade Center (MITC). It will be used for faculty development, facilitating participation in internationally focused study tours and seminars to gain knowledge in specific areas of expertise, says Diana Lawson, the project's director and associate dean of the College of Business, Public Policy and Health. Faculty will use that experience to develop an international component in current courses or will develop separate courses in specific areas of international business.
The grant addresses a critical component of Gov. Angus King's 1995 Advisory Council on International Trade recommendations for enhancing the state's participation in international markets. The council found the lack of internationally focused education and training systems to be a significant barrier to international growth, and recommended university curriculum to equip students for the international business world, as well as training programs for business.
The partnership between UMaine and MITC was formalized by the grant. The trade center will facilitate links between the University and businesses in the state. Businesses will receive information and strategic awareness of international opportunities in global markets. Real-world issues facing small businesses will become the focus of course studies and research projects. UMaine students will participate in cooperative learning opportunities.
Similarly, UMaine Business School hopes to collaborate with other existing international organizations, including the Maine
World Affairs Council, says Brucker, recently elected to the council's board.
The soon-to-be-hired Murphy professor is expected to facilitate international awareness, stimulate business competitiveness and coordinate collaboration on cross-cultural projects. That includes building a stronger alliance between the Business School and UMaine's Canadian-American Center.
While still in its infancy, the Cohen Center eventually will offer teaching and research programs in global trade and international relations, and support the education and training of Maine businesses needed to support business opportunities abroad. In particular, Brucker says, the center could have a role in helping Mainers adjust to and thrive in the global economy. In particular, the Cohen Center Advisory Board has identified, as a priority, the development of programs that link K-12 education to the Center and the University.
Programs being planned include a teacher training program in international business, and working with teachers in curriculum and development in international policy and commerce for K-12. Development of these programs would involve faculty from the College of Business, Public Policy and Health, the College of Education and Human Development, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, thus supporting thee interdisciplinary focus of the Cohen Center.
"The Center and its interdisciplinary activities offer high visibility and are central to the UMaine Business School," Brucker says.
The grant from the Starr Foundation, and two donations of $100,000 each from Bath Ironworks and People's Heritage Bank, build the Cohen Center endowment, which has a goal of $6.1 million. A year from now, the current $1.3 million in the endowment will yield approximately $65,000.
Funding the annual Cohen Lectures will continue to be a priority of the Cohen Center. The annual William S. Cohen Lecture was inaugurated by Cohen. Last fall, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright delivered the second annual lecture on campus.
As the endowment builds and more income from the interest is available, other programs and activities will be planned. Such initiatives as seminars and conferences on the global economy and commerce will dovetail into the UMaine Business School's growing international business focus.
"For students, the Cohen Center could provide a vehicle for internships abroad or with companies in the U.S. with heavy foreign interests," Brucker says.
"A decade from now, Maine will have a reputation as a quality institution that provides students with a good introduction to what it means to be a player in the world economy," he says.