UMD-Winter: Australia: International Business Cultures in Engineering & Technology (ENES/HONR)

Preparing to practice engineering in a global economy has become increasingly important for new engineers and other related majors to advance in their careers. In addition to a strong engineering background, there is a greater need for engineers with cross-cultural experience and intercultural communication skills. Understanding the impact of technology solutions in a global context is crucial for students who are planning a career in engineering or other technology related fields. This course, which is open to all majors, will facilitate the acquisition of these global capabilities in the area of technology and engineering.
 
The duration of the course will be spent in Sydney, Australia. The goal of this program is to provide you with an understanding of cultural aspects pertaining to global business, thereby increasing your awareness of the cultural factors that motivate decisions and behavior in the business world. You will gain an understanding of how the business cultures in the rest of the world diverge from the American, and develop the cultural understanding, attitudes, communication skills, and global perspectives of engineering and technology needed to function appropriately within an increasingly global and multicultural working environment.
 

You must be in good academic and judicial standing and you must not have any registration blocks to participate in this program. The minimum GPA for this program is listed above.

UMD sophomores, juniors and seniors are eligible to apply. Maryland community college sophomores are also eligible to apply.

Engineering students and students completing the Minors in International Engineering, Engineering Leadership Development, Global Engineering Leadership, International Development and Conflict Management, Global Terrorism, and Global Poverty will receive priority consideration for admission to the course. Other majors are highly encouraged to apply as the course is open to all students of all majors.

After you commit to the program, Education Abroad will enroll you in one of the following three (3) credit UMD courses:

• ENES472: International Business Cultures in Engineering & Technology
• HONR349T: Honors Colloquium: International Business Cultures in Engineering and Technology

The credit you earn during this program will count as resident credit. Both ENES472 and HONR349T have been approved for the Diversity-Cultural Competence requirement of the General Education program.

This program fulfills a requirement for the Minors in International Engineering, Engineering Leadership Development, and Global Engineering Leadership. ENES472 is an option for students in the Global Minors Program. The following departments have approved ENES472 to fulfill the following major degree requirements: 

• Computer Engineering- Category F Elective
• Electrical Engineering- GTE: General Technical Elective
• Fire Protection Engineering: Technical Elective
• Mechanical Engineering- TECH4XX out-of-major technical elective

You will stay in apartment-style housing with shared rooms in Sydney. Internet and laundry facilities are available.

Costs are current for winter 2020.
Please note this program qualifies for eligible Pell Grant recipients to apply for the Gilman International Scholarship. Online applications open in mid-August 2019. 

NOTE: If you are a non-UMD graduate student, you will need to pay a $75 application fee to the UMD graduate school to participate in this program.

Please refer to the following resources for more information on funding study abroad

• Financial Aid
• Scholarships
• Financial Policies

PLEASE NOTE: All University of Maryland study abroad programs are financially self-supporting and, therefore, subject to cancellation due to low enrollment.

Jane Fines is the faculty director for the program and serves as the Director of the Office of Global Engineering Leadership in the A. James Clark School of Engineering. She has been at UMD for nearly three decades developing international programs for engineering students, advising students on study abroad, teaching courses for the minors in international engineering and engineering leadership development including international business cultures in engineering and technology (ENES472) and global perspectives of engineering (ENES474), and serving as program director or co-instructor for short-term engineering courses in Australia and Germany.

For course, itinerary or in-country information, please contact the Program Director. For general questions or assistance with applying, contact EA Short-term Programs

As a part of this program, you will engage in activities such as:

• A detailed half-day architectural walking tour by a leading local architect in Sydney culminating with an exterior tour of the Sydney Opera House
• Cultural activities such as a visit to a wildlife park, cricket match, and a tour of The Rocks area
• Visits to several local museums in Sydney
• Guest speakers on entrepreneurship and business culture in Australia
• Attend several industry visits (past sites have included Google, Rode Microphones, Qantas Operations Center, IBM, and Holmes Fire)
• A welcome dinner and farewell dinner in Sydney