Beginning in 2025, students enrolled in the Master of Science in Global Commerce (MSGC) at UVA McIntire and those enrolled in the Master of Global Management (MGM) at ESMT will be able to take advantage of a new joint global impact program that allows students to gain business experiences across two continents. A blended cohort of graduate students from both universities will spend almost a year working together on social impact in business while studying at each university.

“This partnership exemplifies the shared vision of ESMT and McIntire to foster cross-cultural academic exchange and develop the next generation of global business leaders,” said Jörg Rocholl, president of ESMT. “Moreover, it underscores the economic and historical ties between the US and Germany, serving as a model for social impact cooperation.”

McIntire Dean Nicole Thorne Jenkins said, “Our new collaboration with ESMT exemplifies our dedication to providing students with comprehensive, globally-oriented education. The exchange program will deeply enrich the academic journey of our students, offering them unique opportunities to engage with diverse perspectives, innovative business practices in Europe, and social impact projects around the world.”

Through the program, ESMT Master in Global Management students study their entire fourth term at UVA, focusing on developing global business skills while immersing themselves in a new culture. After their UVA experience, they return to ESMT together with the UVA cohort. In Berlin, the students take additional courses and then prepare and implement their social impact project (SIP) — a five-week, immersive project in which they serve as an economic or management consultant for an organization with specific social impact objectives. SIP teams are formed at UVA and consist of students from both schools, thus fostering global collaboration. During the course of a SIP project, many of the students travel to a third country to work on site with their clients.

For more information about the upcoming exchange program and application details, please visit esmt.berlin/global-impact-program and commerce.virginia.edu.