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By Lara Zeitoun (PMBA)

Featured above: site visit to Impact Roasters

As a 30-year-old MBA student juggling a full-time job and part-time studies, deciding to join the short-term study abroad program at Copenhagen Business School was a leap into the unknown. This was my first experience studying abroad, something I missed out on during my undergraduate years, and I wanted to make the most of it. The program’s focus on Social Entrepreneurship and Business Model Innovation seemed like the perfect match for my career goals and personal interests.

Preparing for the trip involved more than just packing a suitcase; it required careful planning to ensure I could balance my work responsibilities with the academic and cultural experiences that awaited me in Denmark. I found myself excited about exploring Copenhagen’s rich history, its famous bageris, and, of course, tasting the renowned cardamom buns that everyone raves about. My hope was to return from this journey with fresh insights and a renewed passion for my professional and personal life.

Featured in right image : STAP students in Copenhagen

At first, I was nervous about working and from Copenhagen and attempting to balance that with my responsibilities as a student. I knew the course I was taking was intensive and I didn’t want to let my groupmates and myself down by not committing to the academics of the program. I prepared as much as I could by doing the prereading and meeting classmates virtually to discuss the work and our expectations of the coursework.

Stepping off the plane in Copenhagen, I was immediately struck by the city’s unique blend of old-world charm and modern efficiency. My daily routine quickly settled into a rhythm: attending my intensive Social Entrepreneurship class at 1 pm, which challenged me intellectually, followed by hours of catching up on work in the evenings. The course itself was very intensive. We met four days a week for regular class time from 1:30 – 4:00pm and site visits were add-ons. Class was split up into two parts: lecture and group work.

The Social Entrepreneurship course was everything I hoped it would be—engaging, challenging, and relevant to my career aspirations. The professor even planned site visits where we would go out in the city and meet entrepreneurs that are making a difference with their businesses. My favorite site visit was to Impact Roasters, a coffee shop importing and serving fair trade coffee from Ethiopia. We got to meet the founder and listen as he shared the challenges he’s faced importing fair trade coffee to Denmark and running a sustainable operation. I loved that the founder was able to make a life for himself and his family by elevating his Ethiopian roots and community in another country.

During the lecture portion of class, the professor often brought in guest speakers. My favorite class was when the guest speaker talked about his research around the Anthropocene, a term used to describe the geological epoch we are in that is characterized by the deep impact humans are having on the earth. It was a bleak session, but I thought it was engaging and contemplated questions I have had for some time about the world we are shaping for our future.

During the group work portion of the class, we worked on our group projects. My group chose the social and environmental problem of Styrofoam packaging in the Icelandic fishing industry. Our business model centered around mycelium technology to mimic the benefits of Styrofoam without the environmental hazards. This exercise challenged me to learn and apply social enterprise structures and concepts to a real-world problem and taught me that design thinking can be applied to a myriad of other social and business problems. This experience will help me as I pursue a career in corporate strategy and CSR and I am faced with complex business scenarios.

Visit to Louisiana Museum

Outside of the classroom, one of my most memorable experiences was visiting the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. The journey there was a treat in itself—a scenic train ride through the Danish countryside, followed by a peaceful walk through the quaint neighborhoods. I was fascinated by the unique local custom of placing clothing racks outside homes for passersby to purchase secondhand items. The museum, nestled by the sea, was a serene escape from the city’s hustle and bustle. After exploring the exhibits, I even braved a cold Scandinavian swim, which left me feeling both invigorated and connected to the local culture in a way I hadn’t anticipated.

Featured on image on right: students having a Scandinavian swim

Featured on left image: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

Copenhagen itself was a city of endless discovery. From a full day spent at Tivoli Gardens—riding the rides, eating candy, and making new friends—to attending a Chaka Khan concert on my last night, the city never ceased to amaze me. I’m leaving Denmark not only with new knowledge and skills but with a deeper appreciation for the balance between work, life, and the joy of exploration. This experience has changed the way I see the world, and I know it will continue to influence my personal and professional journey in the years to come.

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By Federico Patino

Spring 2024

As I settle back into life in the U.S., I feel extremely grateful for having had this opportunity which completely changed my perspective on sustainability and opened my eyes to new horizons. The program gave me the opportunity to learn from top professionals in the sustainability field and to go on a field trip to a wind farm.

Denmark is a great country for a study abroad program. Copenhagen is a safe city, it's easy to get around, everybody speaks English and the culture is similar to the United States, so settling in is easy. The Copenhagen Business School has a series of campuses throughout the city. Dalvas Have, the campus where our program took place, combines modem classrooms with contemporary architecture that comes across as very Nordic. The school feels similar to a U.S. school, but yet also very different. CBS lives up to its reputation of being one of the best business schools in Europe.

My biggest takeaway from this experience is how different the European perspective on sustainability is to the American perspective. Here in the United States, sustainability is almost an after thought with very few regulations in place to force companies to be more successful. Europeans have a big sense of urgency when it comes to global warming, in part because Europe is a net importer of energy, while the United States is self-reliable. However, the effects of global warming will harm all of us, regardless of whether we live in a country that produces its own energy or not.

Taking the class made me aware of the importance of pushing U.S. lawmakers to implement more regulations so that companies become more sustainable. If the United States does not implement regulations, it might soon be too late to actually do anything about global warming. The United States should follow Europe's example and push forward regulations that promote sustainable practices.

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 Featured in the above photo:  Lunch and conversation with Lord Neil Kinnock in the House of Lords Dining Room. 

By Olivia Lacny (PMBA '23)

One of my biggest regrets from my undergraduate years is that I didn’t study abroad. My friends would come back from a semester in Paris, a summer in Valencia, or a month in Nicaragua with memories and a whole new world perspective that I envied. I knew at the time that my financial situation could not support an extended time abroad and I did not yet have the confidence to travel alone. Still, it bothered me that I hadn’t taken the opportunity to revel in the mélange of culture and academia. I made my peace with that fact, accepting that the time in my life for living abroad had passed.

Lunch at country inn in Winchester, author left foreground.

Having experienced graduate school in my late twenties, I knew that the lessons I gleaned from academia were more meaningful than when I was in my late teens/early twenties. I feel that having waited until grad school to “study abroad”, this sentiment holds true. The timing is right. I remember snickering at my friends who returned to America feeling “cultured” and “worldly”, as if 16 weeks in a different country could alter your world view. I understand it now. Just six days in the United Kingdom has changed my outlook on climate change, work-life balance, and the impact policy has on public health outcomes. 

Most of this is due to the interactions that we had with the different spheres of expertise, but I would be remiss if I thought my classmates didn’t also play into this perspective shift. I thought that after this trip I would have gotten my “study abroad fix”, but I want to live an extended time abroad now more than ever. This is just the beginning and as a prepare to enter my thirties, I’m open to the opportunity of moving outside of the United States. Mortgage, dog, and homelife aside, this trip has taught me the importance of immersion in a different culture.

What I Learned from My Peers

This experience wouldn’t have altered my perspective, had it been a class of 20, like-minded MBA students.  One of the most invaluable attributes of this course is that I was surrounded by people who chartered a different path in academia. I learned almost as much from the questions that others asked, as I learned from the keynote speakers. For instance, some of my classmates had an impressive background in environmental policy. Every time that  they asked a question about climate policies, I would find myself amazed by their expertise in the field. I felt this with almost all my classmates from different programs. At dinner our first night,  a couple of my classmates spent 25 minutes talking about the Jones Act as it relates to the Coast Guard and the supply chain. Did I have any clue what the Jones Act was? No, but I do now! The smaller, informal interactions with my peers proved to be as meaningful and informative as our formal interactions.

General Observations

Learnings from the trip fall into two categories: 1) dialogue and perspective from our speakers and 2) cultural aspects of living in the UK. To begin with the content of our speaker series, one of the most striking aspects of our dialogue was that regardless of industry, businesspeople and policy makers have made a conscious effort to incorporate sustainability into their strategy. The most surprising, was that however conservative Liam Fox is, he is actively aware of the consequences of climate change. Both sides of the aisle agree that this is a world crisis. This is a stark contrast from the American conservative parties who refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy of climate change.

Liam Fox speaking with STAP UK participants.

Culturally, it’s obvious that Brits spend more time thinking about current international events compared to how often Americans think about global happenings. Could it be because Brexit was only a few years ago, and the fallout from leaving the EU has dominated the news ever since? Maybe. On the train a man and his son (who was probably around 7 or 8 years old) sat down across from me. The son asked a question that prompted his father to respond with his thoughts on the US’s national debt. The reverse situation would never happen in the US! I doubt American third graders are keen to discuss other countries’ national debt. This was also a theme of my conversations at the Alumni event. Expats explained how they spent their weekends and I realized how easy it is to immerse yourself in a dozen different cultures. You can easily take a weekend trip to Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Rome (the list goes on)- where the language, food, fashion, and traditions are all wildly different than London. In the US we have the option of traveling across the US or to Canada all of which are similar. Mexico is the only country within somewhat close proximity in which you can experience a different culture.

Core Memories

I’ve created so many wonderful memories, it’s hard to decide on my favorite part of the trip. I enjoyed seeing Winchester and its remarkable cathedral and Cambridge with its medieval charm. Never again in my life, will I have the opportunity to speak with MPs in the House of Commons, or dine with a real-life Lord.  As much as I would love to do a graduate program abroad, I will probably never have another opportunity to study economics at Cambridge. 

Global Head of Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare Richard Threlfall with UK STAP group at KPMG Headquarters, Canary Wharf. 

My favorite speakers included MP Carolyn Harris and Richard Threlfall from KPMG. Both had a contagious enthusiasm for their work. As a consultant, I appreciated learning about consulting in a different industry. I loved Richard’s “primer” activity asking questions like “what would happen 6 years & 26 days from today?”. It felt like a game of trivia, which was a welcome change after a long day of meetings.

Carolyn Harris did not fit my perception of an MP. It was empowering to hear that someone with a working-class background and purple hair could become an MP, and that you don’t need to fit the classic mold of a “politician” in order to be one in the UK. This is different from politicians in the US, where it is almost impossible to become a representative without copious amounts of money and fashion conformity.

STAP UK 2023 participants in Parliament with MP Carolyn Harris and Councillor Aysha Raza

Carolyn spoke with such passion on the concept of women’s health and menopause, it reinvigorated the same passion that I once had while studying in undergrad. When Carolyn said that she would let us know when she was on Capitol Hill, I would ACTUALLY want to see her! She was a refreshing personality in a somewhat stuffy parliament building.

Conclusion

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this program. It exceeded my expectations and pushed me to learn and explore academic disciplines other than my own. The itinerary was perfectly organized and executed and with each new guest speaker I felt more excited. I used to poke fun at my friends who said study abroad “changed their life”, and while I’m the same person that I was before London, I will cherish the memories I created through this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

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Featured in the above photo: STAP UK participants at the Houses of Parliament. 

By Sydney Smith (MAccy '23)

Washington is a city full of recovering idealists- we strive to find common ground and a sense of pride while seeking change in our country and local communities. The reality of political showmanship and involvement of lobbying by private enterprise can be frustrating. As business and policy students, we are not immune to this spreading pessimism. In our classrooms and papers, we grapple with a gnawing sense of dread, questioning whether our nation is capable of marching towards progress. The challenges our generation faces- growing wealth inequality; rampant misinformation; unequal access to education, housing, and healthcare; and the impending threat of climate catastrophe- seem insurmountable. It's hard to fathom how our “large tent” democracy, with its wide-ranging political viewpoints and philosophies, can confront these existential issues in a unified front. The challenges that we face are formidable and frankly petrifying, even if our nation was less divided.

I know this firsthand, as I am one of those former idealists. I’ve always been interested in the intersection between policy, politics, and profit. In my undergraduate research, I wrote a capstone paper on the economic incentives of pharmaceutical patent length and its remarkable ability to stoke innovation within the industry. At the time, I was wholly under the impression that market flaws and externalities could be corrected with the right blend of government regulation and industry compliance. When I first moved to D.C., I brought this optimistic philosophy with me. Over four years in this city, I became pessimistic about our government’s inability to legislate and move through social challenges within a radically divided nation. 

The author in Winchester, ancient capital of England.

This is why I was initially drawn to the Business and the State study-abroad program offered by GWSB: I was hoping to better understand regulatory mechanisms that harness the power of private industry’s innovation. Instead, my takeaways are more interpersonal than technical- I was particularly transformed by our speakers’ optimism, community pride, iterative legislative philosophy, and collaborative spirit.

Key Takeaway: Gaining Appreciation for NHS & National Pride

One of the most profound surprises during the program was the unwavering optimism radiating from the speakers we encountered. It challenged my own pessimistic perspective and instilled a renewed sense of hope. Throughout the course, the National Health Service (NHS) became a symbol of wide public support and collaboration. As our first speaker in D.C., Tom Haigh cautiously discussed the challenge of increasing NHS wait times for specialists. I found the contrast between his sanitized presentation and Sonia Klein's candor quite interesting. As a civil servant and embassy representative, Mr. Haigh stayed on message: the NHS struggled during the pandemic, but the government was acting quickly to accelerate access. Meanwhile, Sonia Klein was more willing to chime in and challenge our presumptions about British healthcare- and regularly pushed back against in-class criticisms on doctor pay and innovation of the NHS. Both Mr. Haigh and Ms. Klein were effusive in their support and pride in centralized healthcare. 

STAP UK participants at Great Ormond Street Hospital, learning about the NHS from Dr. Daljit Hothi, Associate Medical Director. 

The unwavering national pride in the NHS stood in sharp contrast to contentious debates over healthcare in the US. The guest speakers celebrated the system's merits despite its flaws. Their philosophy of healthcare as a basic right for all citizens was striking. It became apparent that the NHS symbolizes core national values of equality and community. While private interests certainly play a small role in its functioning, the spirit of public good prevails. The NHS represents a shared ideal that all deserve quality care regardless of economic status. This clear national consensus does not exist in America's fractured healthcare system.

Surprises: Broad Support on Climate Change

Beyond healthcare, I encountered unexpected and encouraging perspectives on climate change that further impressed me. While Dr. Liam Fox MP has a reputation for “right-wing” Tory ideals, he discussed climate change not just as a legitimate driver of global social strife, but also highlighted the urgent issue of water rights. Although I understand UK political parties differ from the US, I was relieved that the science of climate change seems to be widely accepted rather than maligned in Parliament. Fox's forward-looking views defied my expectations; they showcased the potential for, and urgent need of, bipartisan cooperation in addressing environmental concerns in the US. Similarly, Richard Threlfall of KPMG passionately endorsed global innovative efforts to combat climate change. Most inspiring to me was his commentary on the need for wealthy countries to contribute to a global fund supporting struggling island nations during the climate crisis - this willingness to subvert traditional capitalist ideals renewed my faith in business leaders prioritizing global well-being over profiteering.

Having studied the partisan divide over climate change policies in the US, I expected to hear similar skepticism within the UK's Conservative party and from business leaders. Yet MP Liam Fox and business leader Richard Threlfall both urgently emphasized the need for climate action, contrasting sharply with denialism from American conservatives. His science-based perspectives surprised me given right-wing and efficiency-focused ideological opposition to environmental regulations in the US; climate policy has not become as politically polarized in the UK as it has across the Atlantic. Discussing climate change as an imminent threat requiring global collaboration rather than a contested scientific theory suggested potential for consensus-driven policymaking.

Former Defense Secretary MP Liam Fox speaking with STAP UK participants in Parliament. 

Incremental Change Through Trial and Error: Lessons on Flexible Policymaking

The program not only revealed surprising viewpoints but also highlighted the power of incremental progress throughout the years—a notion that resonated deeply with me. Labour MP, Carolyn Harris described her efforts to spread awareness of and regulate the pernicious gambling industry as a piece-meal process. MP Harris sought to decrease the harm of gambling first, by decreasing the cost of each bet; in response, the gambling industry shifted toward online gambling- which conveniently fell outside of the current law. Legislators must be willing to try one model of regulation and then shift with the changing tides of private industry. Our speaker at Cambridge, Professor David Newbery discussed the challenges of getting regulatory structure correct for privatized electricity in the U.K.- this took three separate frameworks before striking a moderate balance between the power of the regulators and the electric companies. Professor Newberry did not seem to dwell on the fact that the regulation was not perfect, instead he focused on the incremental improvements overtime. This was an excellent real-world example of “not letting perfect get in the way of good enough.”

STAP UK participants with Member of Parliament (MP) Carolyn Harris and Councillor Dr. Aysha Raza. 

The nuanced perspectives on evolving regulations resonated with me as a pragmatist at heart. More than lofty ideologies, it takes reasonable compromises and dedication over time to truly improve society. MP Harris' journey regulating gambling and Professor Newbery's analysis of iterative electricity frameworks demonstrated that progress emerges slowly through trial and error. 

Rather than work backwards from theoretical or academic perfection, policymakers must craft practical solutions first and refine them as needs and scenarios shift. I gained appreciation for this flexible, incremental approach from UK leaders across sectors. Their lived experiences revealed how even flawed policies can move towards better alignment through dedication to the bigger picture.

This course provided invaluable insight into the interplay between government, business, and social institutions in the UK. The passion speakers conveyed about quintessentially British programs like the NHS demonstrated deep national pride and a willingness to bring in unexpected viewpoints. I gained appreciation for how policy change can occur incrementally over years through coalition-building. While theory is important- I’ve always found praxis to be far more enlightening, especially within the context of experiential learning.

The author at the British Army Logistic Corps Museum, Winchester.

I look forward to applying the nuanced understanding of public-private partnerships I developed to my future career in public service. I am grateful for the inspiring examples of collaboration, persistence, and pragmatic optimism this course provided. It was a rare intellectual treat for me to speak to so many fascinating and intelligent people- and still leave the conversations full of hope.

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