UMSL Chancellor Tom George (center) signs an agreement March 4 with Tapio Varmola (left), president of Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences in Finland, and Wilfried Diwischek, president of University of Applied Sciences in Aschaffenburg, Germany. The agreement will enable UMSL students who are pursuing master’s degrees in business administration to take two-week courses in Germany, Finland or both and apply the course credit toward their degrees. (Photo by August Jennewein)

Part of a great business program is the opportunity to have an international experience and see business through a global lens. Students pursuing a master’s of business administration degree at the University of Missouri–St. Louis now have another option to make that experience a reality.

UMSL Chancellor Tom George signed a three-party agreement recently with officials from the University of Applied Sciences in Aschaffenburg, Germany, and the Seinajoki University of Applied Sciences in Finland. The agreement will allow UMSL MBA students to take two-week courses in Germany, Finland or both and apply the course credit toward their degrees.

“Many graduate students at UMSL want the international experience, but because of work and family responsibilities, are unable to study at a partnering university for a year,” said Thomas Eyssell, associate dean and director of advanced studies in the College of Business Administration at UMSL. “The new agreement will give those students the advantage to travel to an international university, learn from other professors and visit global companies.”

The University of Applied Sciences in Aschaffenburg, Germany, was founded in 1995 and offers courses focused on business, law and engineering sciences. It offers nine bachelor’s and two master’s degree programs. The university is accredited and ranked by the Centre for Higher Education Development in Germany.

University President Wilfried Diwischek said the opportunity to partner with UMSL is a great one for his young university.

“We’re excited to give our students the chance to come to UMSL and learn how to live outside of Germany,” Diwischek said. “Having an understanding of language and culture outside of your own is very important and essential in business today.”

The Seinajoki University of Applied Sciences in Finland has had a partnership with UMSL as a study-abroad destination for many years, but this new agreement is a more-focused, enhanced opportunity for students.  Seinajoki  has more than 5,000 students studying business, agriculture and forestry, culture and design, health care, social work and technology.

“This agreement is a win for the students and a win for the universities,” said Tapio Varmola, president of Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences. “Students from all three universities will have the opportunity to travel outside of their comfort zone and learn about other countries and the universities will have the opportunities to enhance their partnerships.”

In addition to the course offerings, students will participate in corporate visits, networking opportunities and cultural activities.

The agreement will build upon UMSL’s strong international partnerships, including those in the International Master’s of Business Administration. Existing IMBA partners include the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration in Austria, Nanjing University in China, Ecole de Management Strasbourg Business School in Strasbourg, France, Kyoto-Sangyo University in Japan, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in Mexico, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in Mexico and the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology.