Business students delve into The Greek Economic Crisis during Greece Study Tour

In line with the AUC School of Business’s efforts to give its students maximum international learning exposure, an undergraduate study trip of 32 students took place in Greece between January 20-26. Organized by the School’s Office of Internationalization and Partnership (OIP), the trip was initiated in collaboration with the American College of Greece (ACG/DEREE), an AUC partner and ideal study abroad destination due to its safe location and ideal campus for exploring Athens and the nearby Greek islands. Furthermore, it is the largest American college/university in Europe and the only institution in Athens accredited in the United States. 

Students were accompanied by the faculty supervisor, Dr. Ashraf Sheta, visiting assistant professor for entrepreneurship, strategic management, and innovation, as well as a staff supervisor, Sarah Salem from the Office of Internationalization and Partnership (OIP). 

“We were able to take the practical flavor and the academic insight on the Economic Crisis of Greece”, said Dr. Ashraf Sheta. “Moreover, the cultural perspective was very important to grasp and that was successful from the visits and the mingling with the Greek people. What was interesting was that there was a very big resemblance regarding behavior and eating and socializing habits between the Greeks and the Egyptians.” 

A typical day of the study trip constituted of a corporate visit followed by an academic lecture at the ACG campus, themed around “Weathering on Economic Crisis”.  The aim of this arrangement was to expose the students to the real corporate world and then apply their observations into theory.  Various industries and topics suitable for all majors were discussed, including telecommunications, stock exchange, marketing, corporate social responsibility, and more. 

Corporate visits included: Apivita Cosmetic Company, Athens Stock Exchange, OTE Group, Titan Cement Company S.A, and Bank of Greece/Eurosystem. Near the final day, ACG organized a networking event allowing students to meet with ACG’s business students, Egyptians studying there, alumni from the school, Vice President, Dean, and presidents of different associations.

“The benefit behind this trip is not the place or the destination, but a new way of seeing things, learning about the Greek economy and how they tried to survive the crisis. But the most important is the company, meeting new people and making new friends”, said Mostafa Megawer, finance student. 

Students also had time to explore Athens, part of their cultural experience included a visit to the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum. 

“I take immense pride not only in being selected among the students in this study tour but also in being one of the School of Business's students", reflected Presidential Advisor of the Business Association, Nour Beshir. who also pointed out that the highlights of the trip were "getting to spend one week in one of the major Mediterranean cities, whilst experiencing their professional market hands-on, having a deep dive into their economic and entrepreneurial ecosystems through knowledgeable lectures, as well as, enjoying their long-standing history and delicious delicacies.”

To check out the pictures, visit this link: https://www.facebook.com/pg/AUC.Business/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2617897804893072