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Success Stories

RCB-Caucasus School of Business Partnership


Caucaus School of Business - 2008 Graduating class

Background

The relationship between Georgia State and Caucasus University dates back to a visit in 1996 by Dr. Bijan Fazllolahi, professor and director of the Center for Business Development in Transitional Countries at the Robinson College of Business, to Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia. During this visit, discussions were initiated that eventually led to a partnership in 1998 between GSU and the Caucasus School of Business(CSB), a consolidation of a small group of schools in this former Soviet country.

The goal of the partnership was to help the Republic of Georgia make the transition from a planned to a market economy, and one of its objectives, established following Fazlollahi’s assessment, was a need to train a new generation of managers to assist this new nation in its economic transition. CSB opened its doors seven years after the dissolution of the USSR, with grants from USAID and the Eurasia Foundation as well as technical know-how from RCB faculty.

The Program

Courses are taught in English by a mainly CSB faculty as well as visiting professors and administrators from Robinson College. Student enrollment has risen from 80 students in 2001 to over 2000 students. This is significant success for a tuition-based program in a traditionally free-education system. The school offers an MBA, Bachelor, and more recently, through a USAID grant, a doctoral program in Business Administration. CSB also has an ongoing student exchange program as well as a "two-plus-two" transfer program which enables participants to study two years each in Tbilisi and Atlanta.

Impact and Results of the Partnership

Expansion of CSB to a full-fledged university – Caucasus University - with diverse courses and majors.

  • Establshment of a grant-sponsored GSU-CSB Women’s Leadership, and Management Development program.
  • Accreditation by the Central and East European Management Development Association(CEEMAN).
  • More access to current and relevant information e.g.textbooks and subscription to an online business library.
  • Increased faculty research activities and professional developmen for CSB faculty and leadership.
  • l development for CSB faculty and leadership
  • Membership of CSB in prominent educational bodies, like NIBES ( Network of International Business and Economic Schools ), BMDA ( Baltic management Development Association), EFMD ( European Foundation for Management Development), IAU ( International Association of Universities),AISEC ( Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales)
  • Membership of CSB in business institutions , like AmCham ( American Chamber of Commerce in Georgia), FBC ( French Business Council in Georgia), ICC ( International Chamber of Commerce in Georgia)
  • Establishment of Georgian Banking Training Center on the base of CSB in partnership with Georgian Banking Association , supported by USAID grant
  • Increased employment of CSB alumni in prominent organizations worldwide

 

For more information and details on this partnership, please contact

Dr. Bijan Fazlollahi,
Director, Center for Business Development in Transitional Economies;
Professor, Institute of International Business
Robinson College of Business

Tel:404-413-7283

E-mail:dscbbf@langate.gsu.edu