When: January
Length of time in Europe: 3 weeks
Complete your International Business integral by taking 15 to 18 credits over winter quarter. During the month of January, spend two weeks in Toulouse, France, and one week in Barcelona, Spain learning about doing business with the European Union. The program includes company visits, guest speakers, lectures, case studies and cultural tours. Our partner institution, Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Toulouse (Toulouse Business School) coordinates the program so you learn from local experts. In February, return to UC to complete your coursework the last five weeks of the quarter.
To learn more about Toulouse Business School visit their website at www.esc-toulouse.fr
Toulouse (population 770,000), France's fourth largest city, is located in the Midi-Pyrénées region of south-west France, midway between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. This beautiful city is known for its distinctive rose color brick buildings (hence the nickname: la ville rose) and has a very Mediterranean feel and climate. Toulouse has long served as a center of commerce, culture and education. The city was a resting place for religious pilgrims traveling to Spain as early as the 11th century. The University of Toulouse dates to the 13th century and is the second oldest in France. Today over 100,000 students attend institutions of higher education, including our partner ESC-Toulouse, making the city a highly desirable location for business. The city is now home to Europe's aerospace industry and headquarters for Airbus Industrie. The many high-tech firms in the region complement the area's thriving agri-business.
Barcelona (population 1,510,000), the business capital of Spain, is an exciting, dynamic city. It is the political capital of Catalonia, Spain's largest autonomous region, and is located on the north-east Mediterranean coast. Catalonia is the wealthiest and fastest growing region in Spain. Barcelona is a diverse mix of old and new renowned for its architectural and artistic beauty, its parks and vibrant nightlife. The Gothic Quarter (Barri Gótic) dates to Roman settlers but most remaining buildings were built in the 12th to 14th centuries. That area contrasts with the modernist architectural works of Antoni Gaudi (Sagrada Familia) and others that give Barcelona a distinctive appearance. Barcelona is anchored by its thriving seaport, renovated for the Olympics in 1992, and La Rambla, the boulevard that stretches from the port to Plaza Catalunya. A diverse group of Spanish and international businesses have significant operations based in or around the city.
