International Business Development
One-Year Professional Diploma – Program Summary
The One-Year Professional Diploma in International Business Development is a practical, strategy-driven program designed to equip participants with the skills and tools needed to expand, launch, and grow business operations across global markets.
The program totals 202 academic hours and is structured into: 128 academic hours of teaching (64 online classes), 54 academic hours of individual work for the final paper, and 20 academic hours dedicated to final submission, viva voce evaluation, and diploma awarding.
Across 10 modules, participants develop strong competence in:
- Fundamentals of international business, globalization, market entry strategies, trade theories, research methods, and 7Ps of Marketing
- International marketing strategy: segmentation, branding, adaptation, digital cross-border marketing, and localization
- Cross-cultural management: multicultural teamwork, cultural intelligence, communication, conflict resolution, and virtual team management
- International trade and export management: export planning, documentation, INCOTERMS, logistics, customs compliance, and trade finance
- International business law and ethics: contracts, arbitration, IP, compliance, CSR, anti-corruption, and global data privacy/cyberlaw
- Global supply chain and operations management: sourcing, inventory, risk resilience, sustainability, and technology-enabled logistics
- International finance and investment: FX risk, FDI vs portfolio investment, financing global ventures, and digital payments/FinTech
- Strategic international planning: growth strategy, business model design, scenario planning, risk/contingency planning, and performance measurement
- Negotiation and conflict management: cross-cultural negotiation tactics, simulations, partnership building, and dispute resolution strategies
- Innovation and digital transformation: e-commerce, AI and automation, cybersecurity, compliance automation, and transformation case studies.
A key capstone requirement is a final research paper (2,500-3,000 words) based on an in-depth analysis of a real-world multinational case. The paper follows an academic structure (APA 7th) and is defended through two viva voce sessions. Successful completion leads to the one-year professional diploma; otherwise, a certificate of participation is issued.
Assessment is based on class participation and debates, monthly research/investigation tasks, presentations, attendance, and the final research paper.
Optional 7-Day Global Mobility Experience designed to provide immersive learning, industry visits, and international networking opportunities in Switzerland, France, UAE, Italy, and Spain.
