The current USED/BIE International Business Grants 2003-2006 are administered by the Director, Center for International Business Advancement [CIBA] and by “Agreement” with World Trade Council of Wichita. [WTC]. The WTC Executive Board of Directors functions as the Advisory Council for CIBA-USED/BIE project and provided matching funds for various activities of the USED/BIE grant. The CIBA-WTC linkage has proven to be an innovative partnership, endorsed by the AACSB accreditation visitation team, instrumental in ‘agreement’ to implement BIE grant activity, noted as significant by reviewers. The WTC was initially founded by Dr. Lee Nehrt, Dr. Dharma deSilva and Dean Larry McKibbin at The Chamber with 11 MNCs Executives to foster the work and ideals of international business, and as forum, described in the Preamble, Mission & Goals in the box below (page 2).

WTC, business community & The Chamber responded well to university’s interests/ involvement, namely to:
 

[1] Capitalize on WSU’s metropolitan and comparative advantage of a unique endowment of 11 MNCs and over 250 companies in international trade in close proximity within a radius of 10 miles from campus;
[2] Facilitate dialogue among business community and visiting country dignitaries, and meet Executive Board of Directors of WTC. They are the who’s who of Kansas firms conducting international business;
[3] Assist in needs assessment for the establishment of the KS Regents’ only International Business Major and provide letters of support & matching funds for a series of competitive BIE Grants at WSU funded by US Dept. of Education;
[4] Continue as Advisory Council to the International business program, ‘agreement’ party to USED/BIE grants
[1987-1992 and 2002-2006] to build the infrastructure to establish the Center for International Business Advancement [CIBA]; announced by President Hughes and VP Bobby Patton during Kansas Governors’ keynote address to WTC;
[5] Build a Kansas trade databank by conducting periodic research surveys during USED/BIE grants [1987-88,
1991-92 and 2002-2006] to determine the “Kansas Export Profile, Problems & Prospects”;
[6] Organize and conduct over 350 country/company trade programs and 100 export educational seminars –
unique events were MERCUSOR, ASEAN 10 , NAFTA, EU 15 [1999] and EU 25 and in conjunction the Internationalization of Business Curricula Symposium/workshops [2006] during nationally proclaimed World Trade Weeks of the USED/BIE grants [1987-1992 and 2003-2006];
[7] Avail of opportunities for faculty and students to network with area MNC & IB executives & visiting country/trade dignitaries; Ambassadors, Consuls Generals and Trade Commissioners;
[8] Provide opportunities for a large number students to be trained in the conduct of various WTC international business activities via AIESEC/IBSA student leaders;
[9] Assist students to seek mentors; and interviews for research projects and discuss internship e opportunities to explore career options ;
[10 Obtain counsel of the Executive Board of Directors to advice & assist AIESEC-WSU chapter and IBSA student organizations;
[11] Offer AIESEC internships and scholarships for International Business/Studies. From 1980 – 2006, 118 AIESEC internships and IB scholarships have been utilized;
[12] Learn from executive guest lectures invited to classes to share their expertise on company real-world best practices and IB case studies.
[13] Prepare successful proposals to attract US Customs [Port of Entry] and US Dept. of Commerce [satellite office] initially located at Business School, and 2 board members assisted in the establishment of the World Trade Center
[14] Win the prestigious US President’s “E” Award and US President’s “EStar” Award for continued export education and service excellence and US Congressional Award in 2005, for a university-based WTC;
[15] Receive publicity by BA, Jof C NY, WSJ, WP, and local media as the only campus based joint-venture partnership to win both US Presidential awards; and the CIBA-WTC business community linkage has become an exportable model introduced to Berlin FHW, U of Canberra, Sri Lanka. NCCU Taiwan, Singapore, Korea.

Of significance to meeting USED/BIE objectives, the grants have established and strengthened International Business Major, its curricula components, internationalization of business school curriculum - the unique CIBA-WTC business community linkage enabled to win the President’s “E” [1987] and “EStar” Awards [1992] & US Congressional Award [2005] for continued export education and service excellence, and national recognition. Because of the close working relationship, WTC Executive Board has served as Advisory Council to CIBA & USED/BIE projects [as ‘agreement ‘party] and for grants activity, enabling WTC to be housed and conducted with trained students in CIBA at the Barton School of Business, Wichita State University. CIBA-WTC under the aegis of the current USED/BIE grants conducted 75 ‘agreement’ outreach events, highlighting the MERCOSUR [2003] ASEAN 10 countries [2004] NAFTA [2005] and in 2006 twin events - The EU25 trade confab with 38 EU trade dignitaries plus Internationalization of Business Curricula Symposium/workshops with 28 leading experts/textbook authors, presenting the best practices in the best schools and was co-sponsored by 21 CIBERs and BIEs funded by the US Department of Education. [See attached twin-program announcement for details]. Over 650 executives, 128 faculty across the US participated, assisted by 28 trained IBSA/AIESEC students.

World Trade Council of Wichita, Inc. & WSU Center for International Business Advancement [CIBA] Partnership and Growth under USED/BIE Grants