Pacific Rim Site and Program Information

This summer workshop and these three courses are designed to provide students with an overseas learning experience about the environment of international business, human resource management, economy, commerce, technology, and culture in China, Japan and Korea. The course includes history, geography, traditions, and survival language in the region. Students will have Asian counterpart students in China, Korea, and Japan and build friendships with them through e-mail exchanges from the spring semester.                    

The Farmer School of Business Pacific Rim workshop is conducted in two parts, with the first taking place during the spring semester 2010.  The first part consists of several evening sessions.  Class requirements include the reading of articles, newspapers, periodicals, and books, an e-mail exchange project with Asian students, plus extensive investigation of East Asian sites on the Internet. During the spring semester prior to the summer workshop trip, students take a language course, JPN 105.  This course is a one credit hour course, which Pacific Rim workshop students ordinarily take credit/no-credit. 

The second part is the trip to China, South Korea, and Japan.  Students participate in a variety of academic activities, including lectures by invited speakers and many field trips. During the first 11 days, students visit Beijing and Shanghai, China. Students tour famous historical places in Beijing such as the Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, Beijing University, the Forbidden City, and 2008 Olympic structures. Field trips in Shanghai include the Bund Bay, Yuan Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, Pudong new development, and Xintendi western block. Business site visits to P&G China, GE Aviation, and China’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are arranged.

South Korea is visited next. Eight days are spent in Seoul (modern capital).  Students learn about South Korea’s business, technology, culture, and people. Field trips to LG Electronics/CNS, Papa John’s Korea, Deloitte & Touché-Tax Korea, GE Korea, and DMZ, among others, are arranged. Most of the trips are made as a group by bus. Students may stay 1-2 days with a Korean host family in Seoul. Families of Miami alumni and students of a Miami’s partner university serve as hosts.

Eleven days are spent in Japan. Students begin their stay in Tokyo, then spend a day in Toyota City, and finally travel to Kyoto (old capital of Japan) and Hiroshima. Sites range from a tour of international businesses such as Panasonic Electronics-Tokyo, Ernst & Young Consulting – Tokyo, to automated, modern manufacturing facilities such as the Toyota Motor assembly and Asahi Brewery plant.   Students also have hands-on, doll-making experience at the prestigious Japanese doll company, Tokyo Doll Crafts. In addition, there are tours of famous historical sites (UNESCO world heritages) such as Golden Pavilion Temple, Nizo Shogun Castle, Rock Garden, and Hiroshima A-bomb Museum. The program provides a one week Japan rail pass (JRP) that permits unlimited rides on a bullet train (over 200 miles per hour) and any Japan rail (JR) ride. Students are welcome to use their Japan rail pass for other travels.  Students may stay 3-4 days with a Japanese host family in Kyoto. Host families are students and students’ families of Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan.

Last modified on 8/20/09 | Content maintained by International Programs