X-Culture International Business Symposium

   icon-calendar  Dates:
24-26 October 2024

Location:
St. Louis, MO, USA

Hosted by:

Academy of International Business, Southeast USA Chapter

The Saint Louis University

The Boeing Institute of International Business

 icon-group  Number of participants:
Limited to 50 students.

The selection process is competitive. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrated excellence in past X-culture participation.

GENERAL INFORMATION

• The 2024 X-Culture Symposium is co-organized with the Academy of International Business USA Southeast (AIB-SE) Chapter.
• In addition to the business competition and career development program, the event will provide an opportunity to meet world-class International Business scholars, attend their research presentations, expand personal and professional networks, and learn more about the exciting world of International Business research and academia.
• The X-Culture symposium is limited to a maximum of 50 students, and we anticipate a competitive selection process.
• The Selection Committee will choose 50 participants from the list of interested applicants. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrated excellence in past X-Culture participation, but also with some consideration to maximize geographic and cultural diversity.
• Please read the following information carefully. If you are interested in participating, please fill out the application form. You can find information on the past X-Culture Symposia here.

X-CULTURE COMPETITION

• To provide the Symposium attendees with opportunities to learn new skills, meet new people, and strengthen their resumes, the event program will include an International Business Competition similar to the general X-Culture project. The difference is that this time the team members will also work face-to-face and present their work directly to the client company.
• Each student will be placed on an international team of about 5-7 students per team. Your team will be able to collaborate virtually for four weeks prior to the conference and then have some additional time in St.Louis to finish up your report working face-to-face.
• On the last day of the conference, all teams will present their findings and recommendations to Executives from our corporate partner and X-Culture professors. Awards will be presented to the winners!
• This year’s corporate partner is Maritz, located in Fenton, MO.
• The client company will provide a specific consulting challenge for you and your team that will provide a unique learning experience for you and add value to the corporate partner.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING

• In addition to the X-culture corporate challenge, the program will include several other valuable sessions, such as meetings with entrepreneurs, academics, and community leaders, as well as access to all Academy of International Business Southeast conference events, including scholarly presentations, panel sessions, professional development workshops, networking, and social events. The conference brings together hundreds of the world’s leading International Business scholars and professionals from dozens of countries.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

• By July 5
  Apply to participate in the 2024 X-Culture at the AIB-SE event by completing the form below.
  Link: https://us-se.aib.world/pre-conference/x-culture-registration/
  Explore the possibility of travel support from your university or home community.
  Investigate the US visa application process (if applicable).
  Deadline: July 5
• July 6
  The first wave of accepted applicants will be notified of their acceptance into the program and will be asked to register for the conference formally on the conference portal.
  The registration fee for X-Culture students is $375.
• August 15
  All accepted participants are to be fully registered for the conference by this date.
• September 15
  You will be assigned to a team, and the corporate challenge will be released.
  Prior to the conference, your team will work virtually to address the challenge provided by the corporate partner.
• October 23 (or earlier)
  Arrive in St.Louis, MO
  You are responsible for making your own travel arrangements to St.Louis, MO
• October 24
  Introduction to conference activities and meetings with corporate executives.
  Attend professional development workshops and sessions.
• October 25
  Work with your teammates on the challenge, and attend professional development sessions.
• October 26, morning 
  Work with your teammates on the challenge, and attend professional development sessions.
• October 26, afternoon 
  Deliver presentation of findings and recommendations to corporate executives and X-Culture professors.
• October 26, evening 
  Gala Dinner, Closing and Award Ceremony
• October 27
  Return home or proceed with additional sightseeing.

 icon-money COSTS

There are four components that make up the costs of attendance:

Conference Registration – $375. 

This includes:

• • Conference registration
  • Conference materials, welcome bag, name tag, printed materials, memorabilia
  • Access to all conference sessions, networking events, and meeting space
  • Transportation to the local companies and other off-site events
  • Breakfast and lunch for three days
  • Welcome dinner and final conference dinner
  • Award ceremony
  • Participation certificates and recommendation letters for all
  • Winner certificates and trophies for the winners

Hotel Accommodations

• Usually, AIB-SE negotiates special rates with local conference hotels – we will share the discounted-rate booking codes with accepted students. You can also book your lodging via Expedia, Airbnb, or other travel sites. Expect to pay $100+ per room per night (big-name hotels will likely be charging $200+ per night, less known hotels might be cheaper, the price could be further reduced shared accommodations could be.Recommended:

Travel Cost

• You will have to cover the cost of travel to/from St. Louis, and your U.S. visa costs if needed.
• You are responsible for making your own travel reservation to/from St. Louis.

U.S. Travel Visa

• If you need a US visa, once registered, you will receive a letter of support to bring to your interview at a US embassy. Additional spending money.

Total cost

• Registration: $375
• Housing: about $50 to $150 per night, depending on which hotel you are staying at and if you’re sharing your room with another student or not.
• Travel to St.Louis: $150 to $1800, depending on how far you have to travel. Tickets within North America will likely cost $200 to $400, and intercontinental flights may cost much more.
• Personal expenses: $100+
  TOTAL: $550 to $2,000, depending on travel costs and hotel arrangements.

Travel Stipends

Generally, we do not offer travel stipends.

We may be able to offer a few travel stipends of $500 for students who travel from distant “developing” countries. Priority will be given to the members of the winning teams, students who had the highest performance records, students who have also completed the Coaching Program, and professors.

HOWEVER, X-Culture will provide you with strong support letters for potential sponsors, such as your university, local firms, and organizations. Our experience shows that most students find sponsors, and our support letters help.

MORE INFORMATION

• Academy of International Business general conference page
• X-Culture student registration page

Please visit the AIB-SE home page to learn more about the conference and detailed information about the conference. This is also where you will register for the conference if you are selected to participate.

Please also visit the X-Culture Meetings page to learn more about our past symposia.

NEXT STEPS

Please fill out the application form with the required information. We anticipate a competitive selection process, and we will notify selected participants as soon as possible.

We hope to see you in St.Louis this fall for what promises to be a unique and unforgettable experience!

If you have any questions, please contact:

Dr. Dr. Leilani Baumanis
2024 X-Culture at AIB-SE Coordinator
Lynn University
lbaumanis@lynn.edu

Dr. Amit Arora
2023 Academy of International Business SE-USA Conference Program Chair
University of the District of Columbia
amit.arora@udc.edu

APPLY HERE

Application Deadline: July 5, 2024 (11:59 pm EST)

Cancelation/Refund Policy

Conference Cancellation/Refunds Policy: Refunds will be processed on an individual case basis. There will be a $25 processing fee for cancellations before September 1, 2024. No refunds will be issued for cancellations after September 1, 2024, or for no-shows.