MBA students will experience the culture, history, and economic power of China during a special international travel course planned for the first summer session of 2008. The elective class will involve campus-based class meetings before and after the trip and will last 10 to 12 days. The experience will allow students to witness China’s special blend of the modern and the ancient.

During the trip, participants will visit companies engaged in global business in Shanghai and Beijing, capital and site of the 2008 summer Olympic Games, and will tour Dalian, China’s northern economic development zone and host city to the World Economic Forum in 2007. Students will also join fellow MBAs at the Dongbei University of Finance & Economics for a discussion on doing business in China.

Dean Denise Rotondo first traveled to China in summer 2007. Meredith College has had a 15-year partnership with the School of International Business Communications at Dongbei University of Finance and Economics (DUFE). Rotondo met the Dean of the School of International Business at DUFE, Dr. David Wang, to discuss expanding Meredith’s partnership. Wang’s School runs an executive MBA program and several undergraduate business programs taught in English.

Through the partnership with DUFE, Meredith students will tour companies located in Dalian’s Development Zone, which is similar to the Triangle’s RTP area.

Rotondo has also developed a relationship with which will allow students to tour headquarters of Lenovo, a global organization with headquarters in Beijing, the RTP, and Shanghai. Rotondo is also working with executives at FedEx Kinko’s and IBM to arrange additional tours in China for the students.