Programs
A Global Footprint
Bauer Office of Global Initiatives Builds Over 25 Partnerships Across the World
The C. T. Bauer College of Business is known for offering an accessible education that is informed and enlightened by its international connections and diversity of students, faculty, staff and partners. But the Office of Global Initiatives (OGI), launched in 2020 as part of the 2020-2025 Bauer College Strategic Plan, is expanding and enriching the Bauer College global footprint in significant ways, providing new opportunities for growth and establishing a more pronounced international identity for one of the most diverse business schools in the nation.
Bauer joined the prestigious Global Business School Network (GBSN) in 2019, the first step in becoming a more globally engaged business school. Now, as the school forges relationships with educational institutions in South America, Europe, South Africa, Poland, China, India, Vietnam, the Middle East, Greece, and the Philippines, global initiatives are gaining momentum with huge implications for faculty and students, said Dean and Cullen Distinguished Chair Professor Paul A. Pavlou.
Since its launch in 2020, the Bauer Office of Global Initiatives has forged relationships with educational institutions in South America, Europe, South Africa, Poland, China, India, Vietnam, the Middle East and the Philippines.
There is a great need for all of us to have a global mindset, to navigate and grow and succeed in this globalized world…but also to contribute our talents and resources and work together.
Nikhil Celly
Director, Global Initiatives
LEARN MORE: Bauer Office of Global Initiatives →
What Our Partners are Saying
“We are very excited to be collaborating with the C. T. Bauer College of Business, specifically in the areas of energy and healthcare. This cross-continental agreement is of great significance to Wits Business School in our quest to address the challenges confronting Africa and the world. We look forward to a lasting and fruitful relationship between our schools.”
- Maurice Radebe, Head and Director, Wits Business School
“Bahrain is focusing on partnerships internationally, and we have seen so many positive results from collaborative programs and research. It’s a great experience and everyone benefits.”
- Riyad Y. Hamzah, Former President, University of Bahrain
“Bauer College at UH and UFM signed a reciprocal student exchange agreement in October 2021, which opens up the opportunity for students of both universities to pursue an exchange semester in the other university. UFM has designed two unique experiences for UH students at its Guatemala campus: A social entrepreneurship program focused on bottom of the pyramid consumers and a local entrepreneurship experience to learn and interact with local entrepreneurs in Antigua.”
- Kathia Lorenzo, Project Coordinator, UFM
“I came to the United Students as a foreign student from a tiny island in the Mediterranean (Cyprus), and I have seen how such an experience opens up opportunities for success in an increasingly global marketplace,” Pavlou said. “Houston’s unique strengths as a leader in energy, healthcare, technology, and other fields, and its proximity to South America make it an ideal partner for schools and businesses in those countries, as well as Europe, Asia and Africa. Bauer is poised to play a key transformative role in training the next generation of business leaders with a global mindset. The Office of Global Initiatives increases accessibility and diversity for students here and around the world, enables academic collaborations for faculty, and helps to achieve our goal of becoming a model of engagement between students, industry and the community.”
Director of Global Initiatives and Instructional Assistant Professor Nikhil Celly, who has lived and worked all over the world, has been critical to securing and finalizing international connections that translate to credit hours for Bauer students, whether they are undergraduates, graduate or doctoral students.
“Our world is more connected than ever before, in terms of economies, trade, finance, education, innovation, science, data, environments, but also as we have seen, through global pandemics and climate change,” Celly said.
He added: “This inter-connectedness has created tremendous opportunities but also some challenges. There is a great need for all of us to have a global mindset, to navigate and grow and succeed in this globalized world as individuals, businesses and nations, but also to contribute our talents and resources and work together to solve many of the current challenges and goals including some of the UN’s SDGs.”
The launch of OGI has sparked numerous initiatives at the Bauer College, including:
- Bauer founded and is leading a Sustainable Energy Learning Community as a GBSN member. The GBSN Learning Community includes Bauer and four other charter business schools: Technical University Munich in Germany; Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) in Brazil; University of the Witwatersrand (Wits Business School) in South Africa; and Monash University in Australia.
- Bauer is expanding its global footprint in places such as the Middle East with partnership with the University of Bahrain for its master’s programs in Global Energy and in Management & Leadership. Wits Business School, South Africa has established an initial partnership with Bauer’s Gutierrez Energy Management Institute (GEMI), with a primary focus on energy. Bauer and Wits are also actively engaged in healthcare program discussions.
- Bauer and the Universidad Francisco Marroquin (UFM) in Guatemala, and NEOMA Business School, France, have established reciprocal student exchange agreements and are collaborating on student projects in entrepreneurship and supply chain management that involve undergraduate, graduate and executive level students.
- Executive Developmentat Bauer has developed a customized Management in Business Excellence (MBE) program with Katoen Natie Gulf Coast. Bauer is offering face-to-face and online classes covering topics such as revenue, cost, contribution margins, goal-setting, strategy, tactics and execution for Katoen Natie employees in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
- Bauer’s award winning Stimulating Urban Renewal Through Entrepreneurship (SURE℠) Program is developing partnerships with universities in India, Indonesia, Latin America and Africa and an MoU has been signed with Aligarh Muslim University, India.
- Several faculty members at the Bauer College have begun offering Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) projects to students. Partners include Tec De Monterrey, UFM Guatemala and the University of Jordan.
- Bauer is establishing accelerated pathways into some of its specialized bachelor and master’s programs with overseas partner schools. Eligible students may receive advanced credit for courses taken at partner schools. Of particular interest are Bauer’s STEM-approved programs. MoUs have been signed with the Asian Institute of Management, Philippines and the Athena School of Management, India and others.
