Centres for International Business Education and Research (CIBERs)

The CIBER (Centre for International Business Education and Research) programme is administered by the US Department of Education. CIBERs were created by the US Congress under the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, to increase and promote America's capacity for international understanding and economic competitiveness. The programme links the manpower and information needs of US business with the international education, language training, and research capacities of business schools at universities across the country.

CIBER status is granted on the basis of competitive awards; in the most recent competition, thirty universities were designated as centres that now serve as regional and national resources to businesses, students and academics. Together, the CIBERs form a unique network focused on improving American competitiveness through internationalising the teaching programmes of their respective universities. The centres are dedicated to researching and disseminating international teaching materials, as well as promoting and undertaking the teaching of languages. CIBERs create outreach activities and make them available to the business community; they also support research in international business studies.

Examples of the centres' activities are listed below:

  • Internationalising the business curriculum by increasing the number of interdisciplinary courses, existing courses with international content, study abroad and other international exchange opportunities for students
  • Creating faculty development and enrichment programmes for business faculty from colleges and universities around the nation, such as low-cost study trips to Asia, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, and intensive 2-3 week workshops at host universities
  • Collaborating with modern foreign language departments to develop business language courses for students and to provide intensive language training programs for business people
  • Providing training and advice to small and medium-sized firms seeking to develop overseas markets. Areas covered include export training, market information, management reviews and advice on strategies for increasing capacity to compete in international markets
  • Funding research projects, events, conferences and publications across the entire range of subjects within international business studies, including international trade, supply chain management, strategic human resource management, international finance, political economy, global and regional strategies and globalisation and equity

The CIBERs undertake many of their activities in collaboration with each other, with other departments and disciplines within their universities, with a variety of other colleges and universities, with government and trade councils, with professional associations and with the business community.

You can access a list of CIBERS which currently sponsor the Journal of International Business Studies.