AUEB and Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, strengthen their strategic cooperation
The Athens University of Economics and Business has implemented for the second consecutive year, this time with the physical presence of participants, a program of cooperation between AUEB undergraduates and undergraduate students from the Kelley School of Business, Indiana University. The idea originated from Indiana University's Professor Tatiana Kolovou, and was supported by AUEB through its Vice Rector for International Cooperation and Growth, Professor Vassilis Papadakis.
In the context of the collaboration, 22 undergraduate students were selected from the four Departments of the School of Business at AUEB, with the support of Professors. E. Voudouri, V. Stathakopoulos and S. Spyrou), who collaborated with a corresponding number of Indiana students.
The 44 students were divided into groups and studied Symbeeosis, an innovative Greek company, created by the founders of Apivita Mrs. Niki and Mr. Nikos Koutsianas. In nature, "symbiosis" is the harmonious coexistence of different organisms that build a mutually beneficial relationship. Thus, from symbiosis and bees, the Koutsianas were inspired to create Symbeeosis, whose products (honey, tea and herbs) are pure, cultivated and harvested exclusively through biological practices.
The collaboration between AUEB and Kelley School of Business students started online at the end of April and ended in the third week of May, when the 22 Kelley students and their professors visited Athens, AUEB and Symbeeosis. All groups presented the final proposals that they had worked on for about 1 month, to Symbeeosis and were evaluated for completeness and argumentation. Greek students received a Certificate of participation from the Kelley School of Business while Kelley students received similarly a certificate from AUEB.
Kelley School of Business Prof. Tatiana Kolovou noted: "The experience we have given our students this year has been invaluable! Working together, they have learned a lot about different cultures and have made friendships they could never have made in other circumstances. They were also given the opportunity to study an authentic Greek company, such as Symbeeosis, and to meet its inspiring founders, Niki and Nikos Koutsianas. Learning in these conditions is something more than what one gets by sticking only to books, and is truly a unique experience."
The Vice Rector for International Cooperation and Growth at AUEB, Professor Vassilis Papadakis noted: "I am happy that this second collaboration with the Kelley School of Business, which concerned the study of an innovative Greek company, was completed with great success, leaving the students at both Universities excited. We are examining the possibility together with the Kelley School of Business of rendering AUEB its European Hub and having Kelley School of Business entrust us with their undergraduate students for six months of study. In parallel, we are carrying out research collaborations with colleagues from both institutions, in areas of mutual interest such as statistics and informatics. We are exploring other options for strategic partnerships in all the subject areas relevant to AUEB, not just with the Kelley School of Business, but with other similarly very high-quality Universities from abroad".
