MBA Students Travel to Peru for Global Immersive Option
// by Sarah Hayward
At the beginning of September, a group of 23 MBA students traveled to Lima, Peru for the Global Immersive Option (GIO). The GIO is an innovative alternative to the Strategy Field Study (601) project, in which student teams engage directly with international companies on strategic consulting assignments. These projects focus on specific objectives, such as developing market entry strategies, forming partnership strategies, and enhancing company initiatives related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Knowing that the GIO would provide hands-on international exposure was one of the main reasons I enrolled at Schulich,” said Feng (Pete) Xie, MBA Candidate ’25. “I believe the program presents a great opportunity to broaden my understanding of global business practices, create cross-cultural learning, and deepen my educational journey beyond the classroom.”
This year, Schulich collaborated with Universidad ESAN, a premier business school in Peru and one of Schulich’s strategic global partners, to identify and connect with participating companies, as well as join forces with ESAN MBA students to work together on these projects. The program kickoff was hosted at ESAN’s campus, where students were warmly welcomed by Rector Jaime Serida. Participants visited the various locations and met their clients for the first time, allowing for meaningful discussions about project goals and expectations.
“A particular learning moment during the GIO was when our team first visited the client site to meet with the client,” said Ahnaf Razzak, JD/MBA, Candidate ’26. “I learned very quickly that an overly rigid plan of action falls apart when faced with real-time decisions. A scripted presentation may be useful for class projects, but you run into a myriad of challenges when the same is attempted in a live client meeting. Over the course of the GIO, we built some terrific memories and learned how to collaboratively apply each of our unique skill sets to further the project.”
Faculty lead Theodoros Peridis, Professor of Strategic Management, says, “”The GIO is always a great learning opportunity for all participants. Our amazing students work collaboratively while learning new hard and soft skills. Each trip is incredibly enjoyable and gratifying.”
Recent GIO destinations have included Israel, Brazil, Greece, and Costa Rica.
