Neuschwanstein Castle near Munich

IBUS 3055: Innovating with Technology - Global IT Entrepreneurship in Action

Undergraduate Global Enrichment in Germany and Switzerland

Program Dates:

This program is currently accepting applications for Spring 2025.  Applications opened on September 1st and have a priority deadline of October 15th at noon for Spring 2025 travel. 

Classes: Tues/Thurs, 9:55-11:35am, Spring Semester 2024, B-term only.

Travel dates: May 15 - 29, 2025. The travel for this course will interfere with graduation/commencement. Students wishing to participate in graduation ceremonies should find an alternate option.  

 

Neuschwanstein view for website
The view from Neuschwanstein Castle (the inspiration for Disney's Magic Kingdom "Cinderella") just outside Munich.
Company Visit
Company visit.
Product presentations
Pitching their product!
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Chocolate Museum
Cologne Chocolate Museum
Neuschwanstein view for website
The view from Neuschwanstein Castle (the inspiration for Disney's Magic Kingdom "Cinderella") just outside Munich.
Company Visit
Company visit.
Product presentations
Pitching their product!
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Chocolate Museum
Cologne Chocolate Museum

Program Details

    The course introduces students to the process of ideation in entrepreneurship for technology-based products and services. Using Design Sprints and IT entrepreneurship frameworks, students develop their ideas for applications in different domains like supply chain, retail, marketing, banking, healthcare, technology, etc. and pitch them to investors for feedback. 
     
    The frameworks learned in this course will be broadly useful in different types of product ideation even in a non-entrepreneurial context. Over the last decade, dramatic changes in technologies, growth of business analytics and AI, economic and geopolitical developments have opened new business opportunities in international markets for both new ventures and established US companies. The international visits to startups, incubators, makerspaces, and major corporations in Germany and Switzerland complement the student learning through direct interactions with founders, VCs, researchers, and executives of multinational companies. 
     
    The course will provide students with:
    (i) An understanding of the entrepreneurship process and a systematic framework to develop and refine new business ideas.
    (ii) Learn to recognize business opportunities and the process of creating your own business through interactions with startup founders and investors.
    (iii) Familiarity with the need for cultural adaptation of products and services to cater to new markets.
    (iv) Knowledge of cultures, businesses, and regulatory environments in Germany and Switzerland.
     
    To gain insight on the program from the students' perspectives, feel free to visit the 2024 IBUS 3055 Course Blog which is part of the class!

    Though Germany might be best known for its beer and bread, this central European country also has a burgeoning tech industry. Combining rich history with this modern tech boom, students will get to experience the old and the new in Munich, Germany. The notoriously neutral Switzerland is one of the world's most developed countries and boasts stunning mountainous landscapes. Students will get to experience one of the world's highest ranked cities for quality of life in Zurich.

    The program hotels will be conveniently located to program activities; hotel specifics will be provided to participants in the program orientation.  Because networking and community-building are essential components of the program, the expectation is that students will share a room with another program participant.  If you have concerns about this, or want to explore accommodations for a single room, students should connect with their Program Manager.  If there are other accommodations that would support a student's access and inclusion on the program, please bring those requests to your Program Manager as well.  Guests are not permitted during the program. Breakfast will be provided daily at the hotels. A welcome dinner and closing dinner are also included in the program fee.

    • 4 credits
    • Eligible for 4 credits of ENTRE elective credit and/or 2 credits of MIS elective credit
    • Grading is A-F basis
    • Priority will go to students who have 100+ credits. If you are a student with alternative considerations, such as DRC accommodations for a reduced course load, please contact the Program Manager to discuss how we can support your application.
    • Students with a GPA below 2.0 will be conditionally accepted pending a conversation with the Program Manager about academic success

    U.S. citizens will need a valid passport to travel to Germany and Switzerland. If you already have a passport, you need to check the expiration date and confirm that it is more than seven months after the program ends. If you do not have a passport, or your passport needs to be renewed, you will need to apply for one immediately upon confirmation.

    A visa is a document that proves that travel into a particular country has been approved by their governing body. U.S. citizens do not need a visa for visits up to 90 days for tourism in Germany or Switzerland. Non-U.S. passport holders should check with the German and Swiss consulates regarding visa requirements and fees. A consulate is a foreign government's official place of residence and representation in a foreign country. While consulates provide passports, birth registration, and many other services, they also have consular sections which issue visas for foreign citizens to visit, study, and work in their country. If you carry a passport other than a U.S. passport and are required to carry a visa into Germany or Switzerland, you will be responsible for securing your visa; you will work closely with the Program Manager (Mary Krebs) to make sure you have any University-specific documentation that you need.

    To apply, please visit the Apply page. Students will be charged a $50 application fee. The application cycle starts on September 1, 2024 and the priority deadline is 12:00 pm (noon) on October 15, 2024. Applications for programs that do not fill by the priority deadline will be accepted on a rolling basis until full. Applications to competitive programs will be selected via lottery.  Students will be informed of their application decision in about seven to ten days after the priority deadline.

    Most financial aid may be applied to study abroad. University of Minnesota students are eligible for education abroad scholarships. Please see Financial Aid and Scholarships for more information.

    30 University of Minnesota undergraduate students.

    T/Th 9:55 - 11:35 am, Spring Semester 2025, B-term only. This course will be taught by Associate Professor, McKnight Presidential Fellow, Jim & Mary Lawrence Fellow, Director of Research MIS Research Center, Soumya Sen ([email protected]) of the Information and Decision Sciences department. The pre-departure classes are a fundamental component of the curriculum. These pre-departure classes are partly discussion-based given the broad range of diverse and complex challenges faced in international business, and therefore the quality of the student experience is dependent upon all students attending and participating in the pre-departure classes.

    In order to be eligible to participate in the international portion of this class, students must maintain satisfactory academic performance as determined by the instructor. If your academic performance prevents you from participating in the international component of the course, you will not receive a refund of the program fee. Please bring any concerns about this directly to the Program Manager (Mary Krebs).

    This course meets spring, B-term only.

    The program starts with a city tour and welcome dinner. The program includes guest lectures, company visits and cultural activities. Included in the program is time for a small amount of independent exploration.

    Please contact Program Manager, Mary Krebs, if you have additional questions about the schedule.

Cost Estimate

Fees are based on estimates and may change due to international economic factors. This information applies to 2024-2025 programs.

* Students should also maintain their U.S.-based health insurance plan while abroad.

** Costs are estimated for U.S. passport holders only. Non-U.S. passport holders should check with the German and Swiss consulates regarding the visa application process and costs.

All costs are subject to change prior to departure.

 This table is a function of the website. No program fee will be charged if travel is cancelled in 2025.
2024-2025 Tuition for 4 academic credits (included in the 13+ credit tuition plateau. Please see One Stop for more information about tuition rate) $0
Program Fee (does NOT include international airfare between Minnesota and Europe but does include regional travel between Munich and Zurich, hotels, program events, two group meals, local transportation, and international health insurance*) $5,020 - to be approved for 2025
International airfare between Minnesota and Europe (NOT included in Program Fee $2,023 (estimated)
Passport and Visa** $165
Textbooks $0
Hotel Accommodation (included in Program Fee) $0
Meals (lunch and dinners not included in Program Fee) $400
Daily Living Expenses (international cellular/data plan, local transportation, incidentals, laundry, etc.) $440
Total $8,048

Details:

Staff
Mary Krebs
Faculty
Soumya Sen
Academic term(s)
May 2-week travel (with Spring on campus course)
Degree level
Undergraduate
Region
Europe
Country
Germany
Switzerland
City
Zurich
Munich
Office
Carlson Global Institute (CGI)
Program Model
Instructor-led