UW News

October 11, 2011

School of Business offers Global Business Week, then Global Ventures Workshop

UW News

This is Global Business Week at the UWs Foster School of Business, a week of informational events for undergraduates and MBAs as well as faculty and staff. And then on Oct. 22, the school will hold its Social Ideas to Global Ventures workshop, a daylong event focused on increasing student awareness of social enterprise in developing countries.

Global Business Week, Oct. 10 to 14, is a week of forums and informational sessions about programs at the School of Business, plus a showing of the film Invictus and even a scavenger hunt.

The week started with Global Business Forums about culture and stereotyping in the Middle East as well as information sessions about the schools study abroad and MBA programs. Tuesday brought movie night and a workshop on immigration.

On Wednesday there will be an MBA Study Abroad Fair and the Undergraduate Study & Internship Abroad Fair. Thursday will bring sessions on Marketing Your International Experience and on conventional and alternative energy as well as an informational session on the Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition. The week of events is made possible in part by the federal Centers for International Business Education and Research program.

Then, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, the school of business will hold the UW Social Ideas to Global Ventures Workshop in Paccar Hall. There will be sessions on marketing and sales for early ventures, team building, the role of patents and trademarks in social ventures, pitches and presentations and more.

The first of its kind in Seattle, this workshop is for students interested in using the power of business to affect lasting change in developing economies. Its aim is to provide students a basic understanding of global social entrepreneurship in developing countries and outline the process of turning an idea into a viable business.

Student organizer Zack Zhang wrote in an email that the workshop “will have a outstanding group of speakers from regional organizations — the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Literacy Bridge, Social Venture Partners, and Village Reach. Many of the coming speakers are also UW alumni.”

He added, “It’s a major interdisciplinary initiative, addressing cross-sector issues such as global health, information & communication technologies, supply chains, energy, law, among others.”

Particular focus will be given to global health and technology. Students will also have opportunities to share ideas and network for UW business plan competitions like the Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition and the Business Plan Competition.

The cost of the Social Ideas to Global Ventures Workshop is $20 for students and faculty and $50 for all others. Registration is required.

Global Business Week is sponsored by the Global Business Center and the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the school of business, with support from the UW Department of Global Health and the Entrepreneurial Law Clinic.