Georgia State’s Robinson College of Business recently added a new partnership to its already wide swath of international connections: the ASEBUSS Business School in Bucharest, Romania. In June, a delegation from ASEBUSS visited campus to kick things off.
“A year’s worth of ongoing conversations led to the visit,” said Mourad Dakhli, associate dean for international student engagement and partnerships. “We are developing a pipeline for these students to enroll in our graduate programs, with many considering specialized degrees and certifications.”
Comprising 18 students and three faculty members, the ASEBUSS group participated in a week-long immersive experience. Highlights included warm welcomes from the Office of the Mayor and the ambassador from Romania to the U.S., a panel discussion on sustainability, and excursions to The Coca-Cola Company and Norfolk Southern.
Mourad Dakhli, Robinson's associate dean for international student engagement and partnerships, gives leaders from ASEBUSS Business School in Bucharest, Romania, a tour of Robinson's downtown campus.
Robinson’s relationship with ASEBUSS is the college’s first formal collaboration with a Romanian academic institution.
“We don’t have broad representation in Eastern Europe yet, but this partnership is a step toward changing that. It complements our existing alliances with Poland and our efforts to revive connections with the Republic of Georgia,” Dakhli said. “An ASEBUSS faculty member recently enrolled in our Doctor of Business Administration program, which is exciting.”
ASEBUSS Business School leaders from left to right: Florin Marin, dean; Bogdan Tudor, associate professor; Ovidiu Dimbean-Creta, rector; Bianca Loan, marketing and sales director; Marcel Duhaneanu, president of the senate
Looking ahead, Robinson plans to reciprocate by sending faculty members to teach in Bucharest. The courses will focus on leadership skills, AI, fintech, and international business, and will provide Romanian students with practical knowledge and tools. Robinson’s faculty also will continue to work with their Romanian counterparts to enhance pedagogical approaches and incorporate more applied learning and simulations.
Robinson’s global initiatives are not limited to Romania. The college has longstanding connections with institutions in Egypt, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Morocco, and Portugal, to name a few. And, for more than 25 years, the college has partnered with Poznań University of Economics and Business in Poland on its highly regarded Executive MBA Atlanta-Poznań program.
“Faculty from both institutions meet in person every year,” Dakhli said. “It’s a legacy partnership that continues to thrive.”