The University of Georgia Terry College of Business became an affiliated member of the European Foundation for Management Development this past year. EFMD is the leading global network of accredited business schools and corporations dedicated to excellence in management education and development.
EFMD has more than 600 academic institutions in its membership, mostly in Europe. Just over 30 of the affiliated members are U.S. business schools. The organization brings together business school faculty and senior executives to exchange ideas and best practices to improve management development. EFMD is particularly focused on business schools and companies that have an international strategy.
“This network gives us access to other academic and corporate partners as we work to expand Terry’s global footprint,” said Dean Benjamin C. Ayers. “Their programming is useful in discussions about issues affecting business schools worldwide, benchmarking our programs and comparing curriculum changes at other institutions.”
Interest in international business and study abroad has grown steadily at the Terry College. Close to 40% of business undergraduates participate in study abroad before they graduate. Students who graduate with the international business co-major become proficient in a second language, and more than 80% of co-major graduates complete a study abroad. Among its student organizations, UGA counts more than 70 with a focus on international experience and global commerce.
Marisa Pagnattaro, Terry’s associate dean for research and graduate programs, said the EFMD network will help the college expand its international business offerings even further.
“EFMD members will be a valuable resource as we grow our study abroad, international internship opportunities and academic programs,” Pagnattaro said. “This affiliation will also facilitate formalizing partnerships with other academic institutions.
“We’ve recently increased our international programs staff, and with the substantial scholarships we are awarding for study abroad we hope to grow the number of destinations and include more students who can participate,” she said.