CIBER

Centers for International Business Education and Research (CIBERs) were created by Congress under the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 to increase and promote the nation's capacity for international understanding and competitiveness. Administered by the US Department of Education under Title VI, Part B of the Higher Education Act of 1965, the CIBER network links the manpower and technological needs of the United States business community with the international education, language training and research capacities of universities across the country. CIBERs serve as regional and national resources to business people, students and teachers at all levels.

Each CIBER organizes a variety of activities to advance the study and teaching of international business and to support applied research on United States' competitiveness in the global marketplace. Examples of such activities are:

• Internationalizing the business curriculum by dramatically increasing the number of interdisciplinary courses, infusing existing courses with international content and providing study abroad and other international exchange opportunities for students.
• Creating development and enrichment programs for business faculty from colleges and universities around the nation, such as study trips to Africa, China, Vietnam, the Middle East, Western and Eastern Europe and Latin America 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 persons.
• Providing support to small and medium-size business firms seeking to develop overseas markets.

CIBERs work collaboratively with each other, with other departments and disciplines within their universities, other colleges and universities regionally and nationally, government and trade councils, professional associations and businesses.