COD host CIP Delegation from Belarus

A delegation of business educators from Belarus visited College of DuPage as part of a three-week trip to learn more about business-related education and delivery methods in the U.S.

The goal is to expand business and economic education in Belarus using techniques and strategies that are successful in the U.S., said George Palamattam, executive director of the Council of International Programs.

“The members are visiting a variety of educational institutions trying to learn how we organize business education programs at associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and MBA levels,” Palamattam said. “They will then take the information back home to improve and enhance their own education programs.”

The 10-member team consisted of a vice chancellor, deans, directors of business-related education programs, and executives from three business training corporations. In addition to College of DuPage, the team is visiting such schools as DePaul, Loyola, the University of Chicago and Kellogg School of Management.

While at COD, the group visited a Business Simulation class taught by Sonny Smith, associate professor of Business/Marketing/Management. Students in a Business Simulation class are broken into four teams that work together to solve problems as they would in a real business setting. In Smith’s course, the four teams represent marketing, advertising, international and sales. Members of the delegation, through interpreters, spoke with Smith and his students about what they were learning. The delegation also met with Business and Economics faculty members to discuss a variety of educational topics.

Mike Drafke, professor and coordinator of the Business/Marketing/ Management program, said he was happy to share some of his program’s innovative teaching methods through the Business Simulation course.

“The members of this delegation are serious about improving their country’s economy and using education as a means of doing so,” he said. “They recognize their country’s need for skilled managers and the corporate training programs to produce them. Despite the language barrier, they were eager to speak with our students and look at the materials we use in the classroom.”

This training and exchange is part of the Community Connections Program, sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development and administered by World Learning, designed to promote public diplomacy through the exchange of cultural ideas and values among participants, U.S. families and local community host organizations.

For more information on COD’s business education programs, call (630) 942-2592.