Location: Poland and Turkey (Warsaw, Istanbul, Krakow)

Dates

Trip Dates: July 2 - 14, 2013
Orientation Dates: TBD

Program

In today’s global economy, the European Union is the most important ally of the USA in terms of business interests, foreign direct investments, trade and global politics. The EU consumer market and its combined GDP are one of the worlds largest. This new Economic European Seminar is offering a one of a kind, high level insight on economics and politics of the contemporary European Union.  Participants will travel throughout Europ and talk person-to-person with professional economists, lawyers, politicians, and government officials to get to know the US’s largest business partner.  In addition to this, students will get acquainted with diverse cultural and historic legacies of the Western and Eastern part of the Continent.  This Seminar is essential for MBA students whose professional careers are or will be connected to Europe.

IMPORTANT: Given type of meetings and certain logistic requirements the Economic Seminar entails, the program is limited to maximum 12 participants. We seek students who are genuinely interested in the seminar’s content and offerings. The participants will be selected on the basis of letters of recommendation and an application letter send to the Faculty Program Coordinator. Application Deadline: April 1, 2013.

Additional Academic Requirements

• Open to students enrolled in the Villanova University MBA program only.
• No language proficiency required.
• Participation in the pre-seminar coursework meetings scheduled in May and June of 2013

Seminar Curriculum: Meetings and Lectures

The term “seminar” best describes the total experience. MBA students will participate in a number formal and informal meetings with bankers, scholars, lawyers, business people, members of the European Parliament, EU officials, ambassadors, a former prime minister and a central bank president. All of the meetings will be outside classroom, high level and intellectually demanding. Because of the extremely tight schedule and the necessity to efficiently move through private offices, airports and railway stations, the program will be limited to maximum 12 students genuinely interested in the program. The meetings will take place in:•       Meeting  with the President of the Polish Central Bank and the former Prime Minister of Poland

• Meeting  with the President of the Polish Central Bank and the former Prime Minister of Poland
• PWC  - meeting  on business taxes and investment opportunities
• The Director of the Economic Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Polish  expatriate and the head the Technology Park of the largest telecom in Poland
• Meeting  the Member of the European Parliament and the Fr. Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the EUP
• Meeting with WSJ Journalists working in Warsaw
• Visit businesses  in Istanbul  and the City Development Office
• Lectures by Prof.  Sevket Pamuk,  a fr. Chairman of the Turkish Studies Center at  London School of Economics
• Meet a writer and a Noble Prize winner Mr. Irchan Pamuk
• Visit the University of Marmara and meet the expert of on the relations with the EU

Excursions

In addition to the established curriculum the Seminar includes:

• The Royal Castle, Museum of the Warsaw Uprising, The Lazienki and Wilanow
• Visit  Krakow  and Visit Wieliczka Salt Mines
• Visit Auschwitz Holocaust Museum
  
• The Wawel Castle and Kazimierz Jewish Quarter
• Collegium Maius – the Alama Mater of  Nicolas Copernicus
• Dine in good Polish restaurants
• Visit  the Hagia Sofia Museum, Topkapı Palace, Eyüp Sultan Mosque and the Palaces dating to the Ottoman Empire.
• A  3-day tour to visit Cappadocia, and  Dancing Dervish show
• Istanbul  Bazar
• ...And More!