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April 9, 2003 (ATLANTA) — A contingent of close to 60 faculty and students from the Executive MBA (EMBA) program at the Robinson College of Business bound for China and Thailand next month have been put on hold due to the mysterious flu-like illness, now known as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) which has crippled U.S.- Asia business travel.
"Due to factors beyond our control and upon recommendation by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) that travelers avoid mainland China and several other Asian countries, we decided that it was best to postpone the trip," said Preston Wilson, associate dean of executive programs at Robinson. "We will reschedule the trip as soon as we know that travel to the region no longer poses any health risks."
The 14-day trip to Beijing, Shanghai and Thailand is the highlight of the College's EMBA program which focuses on the global business marketplace. The study abroad trip provides students with a first-hand look at the social fabric, technology, infrastructure, politics and culture of the region. During their stay, the group was set to visit a variety of companies – from small local concerns to multinational corporations – as well as important cultural landmarks.
Planning for the trip began almost a year ago with EMBA directors and faculty making an advanced visit to China and Thailand. China expert and Robinson Global Scholar of International Business Bob Oxnam led the initial group and which arranged for the company visits that will take place when the trip is rescheduled.
"Unlike most of the top 20 business schools which have some international exposure built into their curricula, our EMBA program has always had a strong international component that culminated in our trips abroad," said Bill Woolery, associate director of executive programs. "However this year's trip marks a new era for our program as students get the opportunity to really immerse themselves and learn how the culture and the history of the region drives its current business practices."
Robinson's EMBA program, ranked 20th in the world by BusinessWeek magazine, is a two-year, lock-step format. It is designed for midcareer executives with five years or more of management experience. There are currently more than 900 active Robinson EMBA alumni around the world.
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The J. Mack Robinson College of Business is one of the nation's top business schools. The College's Flex (part-time) MBA program has been listed in the top ten by U.S. News for the past eight years. Business Week magazine ranked the College's Executive MBA program 20th in the world and Forbes rated Robinson in the top 20 for return on investment for regional schools. Success Magazine ranks the College's entrepreneurship program among the top 50 in the nation. Georgia State University's Robinson College of Business has an enrollment of more than 8000 students and is located in downtown Atlanta.
For more information, contact:
Tammy Demel
Associate Director, Communications and External Affairs
J. Mack Robinson College of Business
Robinson College of Business
404/413-7078
404/702-9743 (cell)
tdemel@gsu.edu
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