Take a look at this announcement for what sounds like it could be a pretty cool course ("Master Class" lol), which would help not only the students, the business school curriculum, but also African companies, and then look at how, at the bottom, they're like "oh, and you can probably cover part of the cost of the trip to Africa that you HAVE to take, as part of this class, in loans based on your credit."
Like Columbia couldn't even fund one such program.
Dear Student,
Below please find information on a Fall 2007 Business School Master Class that is offering 6 opportunities for upper level SIPA and Law students to join this exciting new class. There is an application deadline of Tuesday, July 10 at 12:00pm so if you are interested, please contact the Business School as soon as possible.
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Entrepreneurship in Africa- Murray Low and Paul Tierney
- 30 student limit (24 MBAs / 6 SIPA/Law students)
- 2ND year MBA students or equivalent if SIPA or Law School student
- Permission of professor required to bid on this Master Class – email the following to rls2152@columbia.edu (must be received by 12pm Tuesday, July 10, 2007)
- 1 page resume
- 1 page application answering the following four questions:
1)What are your career goals?
2)What is your relevant background and experience for this class?
3)Why do you want to take this class?
4)The final project for the class is a case study of a successful entrepreneurial business in Africa –student representatives of each team will be required to travel to Africa for a two week field study during the winter break (travel to commence after December 20th); these representatives may be able to cover some of the travel costs through credit-based private educational loans (please consult with your School's Financial Aid Office). Are you willing/able to travel to Africa at your own expense?
Entrepreneurship in Africa (EA) examines how entrepreneurial managers and those who invest in them design, negotiate and execute ventures that make use of resources and opportunities in the challenging environments of sub-Saharan Africa.
Through case studies and guest lecturers students will learn about successful and unsuccessful entrepreneurs and financiers. Up to 30 students will conduct consulting assignments with local African companies identified by our African business school partners in Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa. Student representatives of each team will be required to travel to Africa for a two week field study during the winter break (travel to commence after December 20th); these representatives may be able to cover some of the travel costs through credit-based private educational loans (please consult with your School's Financial Aid Office).
Students travel to Africa for a two week field study during the winter break. Each team will produce a consulting report and a case study for teaching purposes. The case studies and accompanying teaching materials will be available to other business schools in Africa and the west.