Global Experiences in the MBA Program

How can you change the world if you don’t understand it? Participating in a global experience is a highlight — and requirement — for all our future leaders.

Broaden your worldview even further than Stanford’s diverse, international community. During your global experience, you’ll come to understand new perspectives, complex social issues, and differing economic systems that you can take with you as you move forward in your career.

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Make Your Journey Your Own

See business through a more global lens during a structured, intellectually rigorous program. Choose from existing program opportunities that align with your goals or create your own.

Global Management Immersion Experience (GMIX)

Develop your global mindset by engaging with a new culture and workplace, and apply your academic knowledge and skills to a four-week project with a sponsoring organization. GMIX includes hands-on opportunities spanning countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, Latin America, Oceania, and the Middle East.

GMIX projects cover a wide array of industries, such as consumer products, international development, energy, finance, healthcare, media and entertainment, technology, and telecommunications. No matter your specific interests, there’s an opportunity to challenge yourself and deepen your cultural understanding.

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Being there (Scotland) allowed me to grow a lot professionally — in leading a meaningful project and working with people with drastically different backgrounds from myself — and was truly just an awesome experience.
Author Name
Jerret Smith, MBA ’23

Recent GMIX Project Opportunities

South Africa

The Afara Initiative is a fast-growing social enterprise based in Nigeria, with a mission to empower Nigerian youth to be globally competitive and achieve successful career outcomes.

Singapore

Growsari has built a large e-lista BNPL product to support FMCG purchases directly from Growsari. The credit program has grown to be one of its largest products, but is still constrained in that stores can only use it for Growsari purchases.

Spain

CrowdFarming is a Madrid-based ag-tech offering digital solutions to organic farmers, enjoying solid growth in the European organic food market. The company is launching its digital business verticals to expand its operations into new markets and defining its digital product strategy.

Global Study Trips (GSTs)

Want to share a transformative experience with your peers? Global Study Trips offer an intensive opportunity to travel with 20–30 of your classmates. You’ll examine challenging international issues, like sustainability, rapidly changing societal demographics, or emerging AI technologies, and work together to brainstorm and explore innovative solutions.

Stanford-Tsinghua Exchange Program (STEP)

Stanford-Tsinghua Exchange Program (STEP) is an academic course (GSBGEN 598: STEP) and a cross-cultural experiential learning program for participants from the GSB and the Tsinghua School of Economics and Management in Beijing, China. During Autumn and Winter quarters of their second year, ~20 GSB students work remotely and in person with Tsinghua University students on academic projects. The student teams and their faculty advisors visit one another (GSB students travel to Beijing over Thanksgiving week in November; Tsinghua students travel to Stanford in January/February) for a deep-dive experience to gain business insights, build cultural context, and develop long-lasting relationships with their peers

 

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STEP was a phenomenal way to get to know thoughtful, talented, and fun-loving friends from China. Our experience was fully virtual, but the opportunity to get to know the perspective of our Tsinghua peers during such a tumultuous time in U.S.–China relations was eye-opening. I walked away with great friends and the firm belief that we as people share much more in common than we think. I, along with many of my Stanford peers, am itching to make Beijing my first post-COVID travel destination!
Author Name
Abishek Thiagaraj, MBA ’21

Self-Directed Experiences

Want to develop an independent study project with a Stanford GSB faculty member? Or perhaps you’re interested in creating your own global internship? We’ll help you craft a global experience focused on your academic and career goals (and passions).

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The Self-Directed Global Experience option provides virtually unlimited freedom to explore whatever matters to you!
Author Name
Simon Quin, MBA ’19

Every Day on Campus Is Global

While there’s no substitute for immersing yourself in another country and culture, every day on campus is global in nature due to our community and coursework. We encourage you to interact and gain new perspectives from the students, faculty, and speakers all around you. Join any of our classes or clubs with international representation.

Clubs with international representation:

  • Africa Business Club
  • Australia and New Zealand Club
  • Europe Club
  • Greater China Business Club
  • India Club
  • Latin American Student Association
  • Middle East and North Africa Club
  • Student Association International Committee
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