Early this April, i-MBA full and part time students embarked on a field trip to the Venice of the north, Stockholm. The destination was selected, based both on the country’s business / economic profile and the MBA International’s educational philosophy. Sweden, as a country with a long industrial tradition, a contemporary record of innovation and a world-famous social welfare model, fitted perfectly to the educational aims of the trip and to the culture of the MBA International, a Program which not only educates managers and business leaders but is also well-known for graduating many young entrepreneurs.
The trip was organized by the i-MBA students, with important support from faculty and staff of the Program, and from both the Swedish Embassy in Greece and the Hellenic Embassy in Stockholm.
The objectives of the trip were to visit and interact with companies, academics and students to gain international exposure and tie new contacts for future collaboration. In preparation for the trip students and staff visited the Swedish Embassy in Athens, who was very helpful in giving precious advise. During the trip, students visited the Sup46 Startup Hub, the Hellenic Embassy in Stockholm, Toyota Material Handling, the Electrolux Group and the Stockholm Business School of Stockholm University. The i-MBA students also managed to save some time for sightseeing (city tour in the old and modern city, boat trip, visit to the opera) and visits to monuments including the Nobel Museum, the Riksdagshuset – the Swedish Parliament, the Royal Palace, the Vasa Museum and many more. Although students knew each other well before the trip, the study trip offered an important opportunity to create closer bonds between them and also with Swedish students, companies and organizations. Networking was a primary goal of this trip in professional as well as in personal terms.
Overall, the trip was a very pleasant break for the students from their everyday academic, professional and personal routine and offered them the opportunities to meet new people and lay the ground for future collaboration and expansion of their networks.
