The US Department of Education has renewed a grant from the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) at Florida International University. Increased to $1.33 million, the grant will have a total impact of nearly $2.7 million with matching funds.
The grant is one of 16 CIBER grants awarded to leading universities across the country this year and, for the second time, the only one awarded in Florida.
The CIBERs were created by Congress to increase and promote the national capacity for international understanding and competitiveness. The CIBER, home to the university’s Faculty of Business (FIU Business), intends to continue creating and/or supporting more than 50 programs focused on three themes: diversity, equity and inclusion, sustainability through innovation, and competition. and intercultural competence of students.
“FIU Business is critical to creating leaders who understand the role of international business in benefiting the state of Florida and the United States as a whole,” said William Hardin, interim dean of FIU Business. “Our university’s outstanding work in preparing these future industry leaders continues to be recognized, as our international business undergraduate program has been consecutively ranked #2 in the US by US News and World Report. ”.
The CIBER will receive $332,499 each year for four years. FIU Business is supporting the program with matching funds.
“The renewal of CIBER is an external validation of the leadership role that FIU Business plays in international business,” said Hardin. “International business and international business education give Miami a competitive advantage.”
FIU Business’ CIBER will support existing activities and develop new ones, such as the Undergraduate Research Associate Program; interdisciplinary programs incorporating foreign language training and international studies; international internships and study abroad programs; international trade missions; Seminars, webinars and workshops at the doctoral level; and teacher research and development programs in South Korea, India, and Latin America.
“We are on a revitalized trajectory with new initiatives on the student front and where student success is the primary focus,” said Sumit Kundu, associate dean for international programs at FIU Business, who will serve as director of CIBER for the next four years. “My intent is to expand our strategic partnerships to enhance student and faculty success.”
FIU Business is a world leader in international business education and research. In 2021, the university’s undergraduate international business program was ranked #2 in the US for US News & World Report for the third year in a row and in 2022, the international MBA program was ranked #5 by US News. FIU’s 20 full-time international business professors are recognized among the world’s top researchers in the field.