Global Symposium

X-Culture Global Business Week at the University of Trieste, Italy

X-Culture Global Business Week at the
University of Trieste, Italy

X-Culture and the University of Trieste

are proud to present

The 2026 X-Culture Global Business Week in Trieste, Italy

Dates:

Sunday, August 2 – Saturday, August 8, 2026

Application Deadline: March 31, 2026

Notification of Acceptance: April 7, 2026

Number of Participants:

150 Students, 20 Ambassadors, and 15 Professors

Location:

University of Trieste

MIB Trieste School of Management

Largo Caduti Nassiriya 1, Trieste

X-Culture and the University of Trieste are excited to invite the best X-Culture students from around the world to the 2026 X-Culture Global Business Symposium in Italy!

In this week-long professional development event, participants will have the opportunity to complete and compete in a consulting project challenge with a local international company, attend professional development and academic sessions, and experience cultural visits and events, all while collaborating with other X-Culture students and faculty from all over the world. Students begin their collaboration online and then meet in person at the symposium to finalize and present their work.

Since 2010, over 100,000 students from 115 countries and 701 universities have participated, and 16,846 international teams have been formed. Previous Global Business Symposium events have taken place in Miami, United States in 2017, Macerata, Italy in 2018, Calgary, Canada in 2019, Lublin, Poland in 2023, Chiang Rai, Thailand in 2024, and Vaasa, Finland in 2025.

The selection process is competitive, with a limit of 150 students. Preference will be given to student applicants who have demonstrated excellence in past X-Culture programs, with consideration given to maximizing geographic and cultural diversity.

This Event is by Invitation Only You will receive your invitation by email. If you feel that we have an incorrect email address, or that you should have received an invitation, please contact us at global@x-culture.org.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF TRIESTE

Founded in 1924, the University of Trieste is an internationally oriented public university, widely recognized for the quality of its research, its strong multidisciplinary approach, and its long-standing tradition of international cooperation. With more than 20,000 students, a vibrant academic community, and a strong global outlook, the University represents a dynamic hub at the crossroads of science, business, and society. The University of Trieste is research-driven and multidisciplinary, consistently ranked among the leading Italian universities for research quality. Its academic structure spans a wide range of disciplines, including economics and management, engineering, natural sciences, physics, life sciences, and social sciences, fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue and innovation.

Trieste is internationally recognized as a City of Science, hosting an exceptional concentration of prestigious research institutions, including the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Elettra Synchrotron, and several international and European research centers. This integrated research ecosystem strengthens the University of Trieste’s role as a suitable environment for initiatives that connect academic excellence, innovation, and real-world business challenges, in line with the objectives of the X-Culture program. Located in northeastern Italy, at the intersection of Italy, Slovenia, and Central Europe, Trieste has historically played a strategic role as a port city and commercial hub. The city’s development has been shaped by centuries of international exchange and by its former role within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, an influence that remains visible in its institutional culture, urban structure, and architectural heritage.

Situated along the Adriatic Sea, Trieste offers a distinctive coastal setting, with a well-known seafront promenade integrated into the urban fabric. The city combines a strong scientific and academic tradition with a long-established maritime and commercial orientation. Its geographic position and historical background contribute to an environment that supports international collaboration, cross-cultural interaction, and academic mobility, making it a coherent and appropriate host location for the X-Culture Global Symposium.

Why the University of Trieste for X-Culture?

The University of Trieste offers a stimulating and welcoming environment where global perspectives, academic rigor, and real-world problem solving naturally converge. Hosting the X-Culture Global Business Symposium 2026 reflects the University’s core values of openness, responsibility, and international engagement, and its commitment to educating future leaders capable of navigating complex global environments. Participants will experience a unique academic and cultural context, combining high-level education, applied research, and intercultural teamwork, in one of Europe’s most distinctive international cities.

DEADLINES & FEES

STUDENT DEADLINES & FEES:

Application deadline: March 31, 2026
Announcement of the selected students: April 10, 2026
Payment
- Early-bird rate: $1,995, deadline April 30, 2026
- Regular registration rate: $2,195, deadline May 31, 2026
Students will receive team assignments 8 weeks before the event starts

FACULTY DEADLINES & FEES:

Application deadline: March 31, 2026
Announcement of the selected faculty: April 10, 2026
- If you would like to bring students for a study abroad experience, please contact us directly at global@x-culture.org
Payment
- Early-bird rate: $3,195, deadline April 30, 2026
- Regular registration rate: $3,395, deadline May 31, 2026

REFUND POLICY

WHAT IS INCLUDED?

Student dormitory, double occupancy per room at the Ex-Ospedale Militare, University of Trieste
Faculty hotel, single occupancy at Savoia Excelsior Palace
Welcome Reception
All breakfasts and lunches
Dinners at the Welcome Reception and Gala
All scheduled conference cultural visits, lectures, and guest presentations
Daily transportation to and from dormitory or hotel, company site visits and cultural visits
Gala and Award Ceremony

Also:

Participate in business challenges with Italian companies, including webinars, client company visits, and proposal presentations
Skills development by attending cultural events, lectures from professors from all over the world, and networking with like-minded students and professors
Building your international business skills through experiential learning
Experiencing and learning about Italian history, culture, and sustainability aspirations
Experiential learning in Global Virtual Teams
Conference materials
X-Culture Global Business Week Participation Certificate and Recommendation Letter
A new global network of friends (who are as highly motivated as you are!)

For faculty, the conference fee also includes:

X-Culture Master Faculty Certificate and X-Culture Global Educator Certificate

PERSONAL EXPENSES

Expenses not included in the registration fees:

Travel to Trieste, Italy
- The registration fee does not cover your trip to and from Trieste, Italy. Depending on your location, the airfare can cost you up to $300 if you live in Europe or up to $1,500 if you live abroad (The Americas, Asia, or Africa). Prices may vary depending on the time of booking and airline. It is advisable that you start tracking the cost of your trip as soon as possible to secure the best price.
Italy’s Visa Processing
- If required, you can check visa requirements here.
- Note that Visa processing fees vary by country.
Dinners
- Only the Welcome Reception and Gala dinners are included in the participation fee.
- Other meals will be at your own expense, with average dinner costs in Trieste ranging from $17 to $50+, depending on the restaurant.
- We encourage you to plan these dinner opportunities with your team and/or newfound friends to explore the city and try new cuisines.
Other Personal Expenses
- This includes items such as souvenirs, local transportation, snacks, or optional tours.
- Budget around $100–$300, depending on personal preferences.

Applicants who need a visa to travel to Italy cannot pay in full until they receive their visas. A non-refundable deposit of $50 is required upon registration to hold your space, which we will deduct from the full payment of $1,995.
**An extension is permitted until May 31, 2026 for visa applicants only.
**Please communicate your visa status to global@x-culture.org so that we can track your progress.

SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM

Sunday, August 2, 2026: Registration and Welcome Reception

2:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Registration Desk
- Students – Lobby, Fonda College
- Faculty – Lobby, Savoia Excelsior Palace
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM – Welcome Reception – University of Trieste Rectorate
- Buffet dinner

Monday, August 3, 2026: Orientation & Introduction to Student Teams

Location: MIB Trieste School of Management

9:30 AM – 11:20 PM – Welcome orientation → welcome of the Rector and the faculty members, presentation of the university, the week’s program, and the challenge rules
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM – Keynote speech → MIB Trieste School of Management Professors / Corporate CEO’s keynote
12:30 – 2:00 PM – Lunch → organized catering for students and professors
2:00 – 3:00 PM – Company challenges Q&A sessions
3:00 – 5:00 PM– Student teams’ work on the company challenges

Faculty Training and Workshop – Part 1

5:00 – 5:30 PM– University of Trieste guided virtual tour
5.30 PM onwards – Team time/Dinner on your own

Tuesday, August 4, 2026: Company Site Visits & Concurrent Sessions

9:00 AM-12:00 PM– Company site visits → company presentations, guided tour of the premises, time for students’ questions
1:00-2:30 PM – Lunch → organized catering for students and professors
3:00-4:30 PM – Plenary session → Prof. Vas Taras (proposed) / other foreign professors living and working in Trieste
4:30-5.30 PM– Student teams’ work on the company challenges
5.30 PM onwards – Team time/Dinner on your own

Wednesday, August 5, 2026: Trieste Cultural Visits

9:00 AM-12:00 PM – Cultural visit → Immaginario Scientifico – Trieste stands as Europe’s remarkable “City of Knowledge”, where over 10,000 researchers converge, and the density of scientific minds reaches about 37 per thousand working residents.
2:30-6:00 PM – Museo della Scienza, Miramare Castle by ferry
6:00 PM onwards – Team time/Dinner on your own

Miramare Castle: Built for an archduke, surrounded by exotic plants, and gazing across the Adriatic. Miramare Castle is where art, nature, and history meet in perfect harmony.

Thursday, August 6, 2026: Team Presentation to Faculty

Location: MIB Trieste School of Management

9:00 AM-12:00 PM– First pitch → students evaluated on the presentation style by faculty members
12:00-1:30 PM – Lunch → organized catering for students and professors
1:30-5:00 PM – Student teams’ work on company challenges – Concurrent sessions for faculty members
5.30 PM onwards – Team time/Dinner on your own

Friday, August 7, 2026: Team Presentations to Company Executives & Gala Dinner

Location: MIB Trieste School of Management. Gala Dinner location TBD.

9:00 AM-12:00 PM – Presentations to Executives
12.00-1.30 PM – Working lunch (for Professors only)
12:00-6:00 PM – Free time with proposed optional cultural activities in the city centre
6:00-11:00 PM – Award ceremony and Gala Dinner

Saturday, August 8, 2026: Student Departures

Breakfast and Hotel Departure

**We reserve the right to make changes as mandated by the program

Standards and Decorum: At X-Culture, we aspire to be global citizens—respectful of others, striving for excellence representing ourselves, our universities, and our countries. We take pride in setting a high standard and encourage you to do the same by being role models for one another. During X-Culture Global Business Week, full participation is mandatory. This includes attending all sessions, as well as scheduled social and cultural activities, in accordance with our no-absence policy. Certificates and letters of participation will only be awarded to those who meet this requirement and uphold these values. Additionally, adhering to the designated daily dress code is required. Your professionalism and decorum should reflect the high standards of an X-Culture professional.

BUSINESS CHALLENGES
PRESENTED BY LOCAL PARTNER COMPANIES

Barilla: Internationally recognized food company, Barilla is the world’s leading pasta producer and a key player in bakery and sauce products, committed to quality and sustainability.

For more information: https://www.barilla.com/global

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/barilla-group/

GENERALI: One of the largest global insurance and asset management providers, Generali offers innovative solutions to individuals and businesses, with a strong focus on sustainability.

For more info: https://www.generali.it/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/generali/

For more information:

LinkedIn:

STUDENT WEBINARS The student webinars can be accessed using the below link (the link will be activated once webinars are uploaded). Be sure to check on a regular basis if you have missed any recordings. Some of the uploads may be delayed so check a day or two after if you don't see a past recording you need.

PROGRAM FOR FACULTY AND Ph.D. STUDENTS

Faculty Program Highlights:

Present during the Faculty and Expert Speaker Concurrent Session track attended by a global audience.
Participate in the X-Culture Research and Teaching Development Track (certificates provided).
Attend client visits, interact with client executives, experience all cultural visits and events.
Mentor global teams and lead Client Q&A sessions as participants prepare for their client presentations.
Collaborate with faculty from around the world.

Faculty participants will receive a X-Culture Master Faculty Certificate and the X-Culture Global Educator Certificate, noting engagement in key programming.

Additionally, we welcome faculty to attend as a chaperone for any students from your university that have been accepted to attend. Moreover, faculty are encouraged to offer this opportunity for their students as a short-term, faculty-led education abroad course, should you wish to do so, within the policies of your university.

* 2026 cohort seats limited to 15 participating faculty.

LEADERSHIP TEAM
X-CULTURE BUSINESS WEEK TRIESTE 2026

Dr. Vasyl Taras
Founder, X-Culture

Dr. Vas Taras is a Professor of International Business at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
He is the Vice President-Administration of the Academy of International Business and the founder of the X-Culture Project. He received his Ph.D. in International HR and International Business from the University of Calgary, Canada.
His research and work revolve around cross-cultural and global virtual teams and experiential approaches to international business education and development. He is an Associate Editor of the Journal of International Management, the International Journal of Cross-Cultural Management, the European Journal of International Management, and Cross-Cultural Strategic Management, and an Editorial Board Member of the Journal of International Business Studies, Academy of Management Review, and Journal of World Business.
Vas has lived, worked, and studied in half a dozen countries and has experience as an academic, manager, entrepreneur, and business consultant.

Dr. Leilani Baumanis
Conference Chair

Dr. Leilani Baumanis is the Academic Program Coordinator and Professor for the International Business Management Program at the College of Business and Management at Lynn University.
She earned her Doctorate in International Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University and has over 25 years of teaching experience with a focus in active learning, cultural intelligence, and study abroad opportunities.
Since 2013, Dr. Baumanis has played a vital role in X-Culture. In 2017, she joined the Executive Team and contributed to the development of the X-Culture Global Business Symposium, a week-long international conference bringing together 200 of X-Culture’s finest students and faculty. Additionally, Dr. Baumanis leads the X-Culture Academy, a global virtual team program that concentrates on college-bound students aspiring to enhance their international business skills through collaboration with like-minded students from across the globe.

Mr. Timothy Muth
X-Culture Client Management

Tim Muth has taught various Business courses at the Florida Institute of Technology since 2007. He has been involved with X-Culture since 2012. Tim spent over 25 years in various executive management positions working for a Fortune 500 technology company. He has worked in, or traveled to, over 50 foreign countries. Tim holds degrees from Florida State University and Wake Forest University.
Tim has won numerous teaching awards. In 2023, he won Florida Tech’s highest teaching award (the Kerry Bruce Clark Award for Excellence in Teaching). In 2019, he was named one of six faculty members to receive the prestigious Master Teacher award. A scholarship named the “60th Anniversary Professors” was established to honor the Master Teachers. In 2020 and 2021, he won the Student Government Association “Professor of the Year – College of Business” Award.
Tim is actively involved with several non-profit groups. He leads a non-profit organization (Hearts Out to Haiti) that provides support for educational programs in two remote mountain villages.
He coordinates the Business Challenges and Student Professional activities at the X-Culture Global Business Week.

Dr. Karen Lynden
Conference Faculty
Development Lead

Dr. Karen Lynden is a Professor of Practice in the Cameron School of Business at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She received her Ph.D. in International Business with a minor in Organizational Behavior from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her teaching philosophy centers on experiential and project‑based learning, and her current research projects focus on Global Virtual Teams and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in higher education.
Karen serves the Academy of International Business Teaching & Education SIG as Vice Chair for World Conference Events and is a member of the Editorial Review Boards for Cross Cultural & Strategic Management and the European Journal of International Management. She has more than 20 years of higher‑education and industry experience, including client program management and the design and facilitation of organizational development training programs.
Within X‑Culture, Karen advises the Coaching Program and leads faculty development for Global Business Week, while assisting with other collaborative initiatives as part of the Administrative Team.

Ms. Maddalena Dulio
X-Culture Lead Ambassador

Maddalena Dulio works as Team Coordinator at the German-Italian Chamber of Commerce in Milan, Italy. She graduated with an MSc. in Foreign Languages and International Management at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan. She has participated in several international experiences involving cross-cultural counselling services, market and business development, and event management. She is fluent in English, German, and Italian.
She has been part of the X-Culture family since 2014, being a former student, Coach, Head Coach, and Lead Ambassador.
She was the Conference Assistant and the Lead Ambassador of the X-Culture Business Week in Vaasa (Finland – 2025), Chiang Rai (Thailand – 2024), Lublin (Poland – 2023), Calgary (Canada – 2019), and Macerata (Italy – 2018).

Ms. Angela Zidziunas
X-Culture Lead Ambassador

Angela holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in International Business from Lynn University in Florida, where she developed a strong foundation in global business strategies, cross-cultural communication, and international market dynamics.
She is a Civil Engineer working for governmental agencies in the New York City area. She holds a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Columbia University and a Bachelor’s Degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
As a former X-Culture student, Coach, and Senior Coach, Angela gained extensive experience in global virtual collaboration, international project management, and leadership development. Her journey with X-Culture provided her with hands-on experience in guiding diverse, multicultural teams to successfully complete complex business projects.

Ms. Srishti Konduparthi
X-Culture Lead Ambassador

Srishti Konduparthi is an honors undergraduate student majoring in finance, minoring in music, and pursuing a HR management certification at the University of Central Florida.
She completed the X-Culture project as part of her dual enrollment International Business course at the Florida Institute of Technology in 2021. After graduating high school, she decided to take a gap year and joined the Coaching Program and has been a part of X-Culture ever since.
She has served as the Webinar Coordinator for the X-Culture Coaching program; an Ambassador for the X-Culture Global Business Week Conference in Lublin, Poland and Chiang Rai, Thailand and as the X-Culture Assistant at Academy of International Business conferences in Atlanta, Georgia and St. Louis, Missouri. She co-authors the company challenges with Professor Tim Muth for various X-Culture symposia.