The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business hosted the 2024 Annual Business International Studies Network (BisNet) Conference in October. The event brought together 20 top business schools from around the country to share insights and expertise on building, maintaining and expanding international programming, active study abroad and foreign exchange in the business discipline. More than 40 participants attended the conference led by Haslam’s International Programs and Study Abroad (IPSA) office.
A Focus on Essential Issues in Study Abroad
Sara M. Easler, assistant dean for International Programs and Partnerships, and Chad Autry, Haslam’s associate dean for research and faculty, welcomed the BisNet attendees and delivered opening remarks. The event was then kicked off by the 2024 BisNet Conference keynote speaker, Melissa Torres, president and CEO of The Forum on Education Abroad, which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission as the Standards Development Organization for the field of education abroad.
In her address, Torres — representing an organization with more than 800 institutional members geared toward cultivating educators who champion high-quality education abroad — highlighted important updates in study abroad resources and cross-sections of collaboration for the Forum and BisNet members.
Over the conference’s two days, Haslam’s IPSA team facilitated small and large group discussions on pressing topics in the international education field, including staffing, working with international partners, key trends, challenges from the field and faculty-led program takeaways. Wrapping up BisNet 2024, IPSA facilitated a best-practices discussion in which each business school had the opportunity to share successful protocols and exciting new developments in their respective offices.
A Chance to Share Initiatives
Beyond the BisNet proceedings, attendees enjoyed the UT campus and Knoxville’s unique charm, including a dinner in the Sunsphere — Knoxville’s iconic landmark built for the 1982 World’s Fair — embarking on an ambassador-led tour of the historic campus and joining in the tradition of painting the university’s celebrated landmark, “The Rock,” a hallmark of campus free expression, where thousands have artistically shared their views and visions.
Easler called hosting the conference and incredible opportunity for Haslam to showcase its IPSA office while exchanging ideas with representatives from other business school international programs.
“We were delighted to host the conference and to welcome our BisNet friends and colleagues to the UT campus,” she said. “This continues to be a highly engaged consortium of top-performing business schools in the area of international education. It gave us a chance to share our program’s initiatives with our fellow BisNet members while also engaging in meaningful dialogue on relevant issues in the field that will enable improved service to our students going forward.”
About BisNet
Founded in 2002, BisNet describes itself as providing “a forum for top U.S. business schools with active, well-established study abroad and international exchange programs, primarily at the undergraduate level.” Each fall, it holds a conference at one of its member schools to provide a platform for its members to share ideas, discuss issues, identify obstacles and opportunities “to promote and improve the range and quality of the study abroad experience.”
Top inset photo: BisNet participant painting The Rock.
Bottom inset photo: IPSA staff pose in the Sunsphere, L-R: Sara Easler, Amber Rosamond, Jaelen White, Maddie Vanderhoofven (standing), Andrea Elliott (kneeling), Lauren Jacobs, Rachel Gatsche, Courtney Coyle
CONTACT:
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Scott McNutt, senior business writer/publicist, rmcnutt4@utk.edu
