Russian-American MBA partnerships: the Cal State East Bay experience

Review of Business Research, Jan, 2008 by Gary Wishniewsky

7. THE EXCHANGE NATURE OF THE PROGRAM

American professors come to Moscow and teach intensive courses over duration of two, three, or four weeks. For most courses there is a short pre-assignment period and a study period after the last class meeting for students to finalize projects and prepare for a final exam. To date around 30-35 Cal State East Bay faculty have taught in the Moscow MBA, as well as seven professors from other Cal State sister business schools, including Cal State Fresno, Cal State Northridge, Cal Poly Pomona, and San Jose State.

Russian students may elect to complete the second MBA year in California. The University offers two out-of-state tuition waivers per cohort, permitting the students to attend the main campus and pay resident tuition for one year. Other participants may choose to attend as self-financed students, covering 100% of their own tuition and living expenses. By Spring 2007, about 50 Moscow students have attended the main campus on the tuition-waiver program or on a self-financed basis. Following one year of studies, these students may have a work experience with nine to twelve months of Optional Practical Training (OPT).

American students from Cal State or other American universities may come to Moscow for one quarter to study. Unfortunately due to the commuter-campus nature of CSUEB, only about 5-6 students have taken advantage of this opportunity. This is similar to SUNY-Oneonta's experience in Krasnoyarsk from 1987 to 2003, in which only a few SUNY students opted to study in Russia (Erickson, 2003). Since 1993 three Russian faculty have come to California for a faculty development experience and training in their discipline. Two are still actively teaching in the program.

8. AMERICAN EXPECTATIONS OF THE RUSSIAN PARTNER

In the experience of the College of Business and Economics, first and foremost there is an expectation that the Russian partner will uphold the University's and the business school's academic reputation, accreditation standards, brand name, and image in all public representations and promotional literature. This includes accurate communication about accreditation, academic quality, and admissions standards.

The Russian partner must have the ability to recruit qualified students in sufficient numbers to make the program financially viable. There must be a detailed understanding of University and College of Business and Economics admissions requirements, and the ability to communicate them clearly to prospective students. The partner must understand and be able to meet University deadlines for applications, course registrations, grade reporting, change of grades, and graduation applications.

With respect to faculty and visiting staff, the partner must provide visa support, airport transfers, and accommodations. There has to be an ability to source textbooks locally, and provide faculty with computing resources and a suitable workspace, though not necessarily a private

office. There must be suitable classroom space with blackboards/whiteboards and multi-media projectors. The partner must provide for reproduction of cases and handouts, or have a server where course materials can be uploaded for student access. The partner must also provide computing resources for student use, in the form of either a computer lab or notebooks that can be checked in and out for classroom or home use.