Office of International Education and Development

Program Dates: March 10, 2023 - March 19, 2023

This is a 10-day study abroad course taking place during Spring Break 2023. This sustainable development goal (SDG) themed program aims to develop knowledge of Spain's sustainability issues and innovative solutions to these problems. The Spanish government prioritizes environmental actions toward SDGs 3, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. SDG action priorities include reducing the negative environmental impact of cities (SDG 11), protecting cultural and natural heritage (SDG 15), and managing waste (SDG 12). This course teaches students valuable lessons about achieving these sustainable development goals through innovative solutions. Students who complete this course will be able to contribute to making Spain and the  world a better place.  

You can learn more about the program here.

Locations

Barcelona is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within city limits, its urban area extends to numerous neighbouring municipalities within the Province of Barcelona and is home to around 4.8 million people, making it the fifth most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris, the Ruhr area, Madrid, and Milan. It is one of the largest metropolises on the Mediterranean Sea. Barcelona is a major cultural, economic, and financial centre in southwestern Europe, as well as the main biotech hub in Spain. As a leading world city, Barcelona's influence in global socio-economic affairs qualifies it for global city status. 

Valencia is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area also comprising the neighbouring municipalities has a population of around 1.6 million, constituting one of the major urban areas on the European side of the Mediterranean Sea. The city's port is the 5th-busiest container port in Europe and the busiest container port on the Mediterranean Sea. The city is ranked as a Gamma-level global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. Its historic centre is one of the largest in Spain, with approximately 169 ha (420 acres). Due to its long history, Valencia has numerous celebrations and traditions, such as the Falles, which were declared Fiestas of National Tourist Interest of Spain in 1965 and an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in November 2016. (Source: Wikipedia)

Academics

Program participans will choose between the following courses. 

Faculty Leaders

Dr. Charlie Chen
Professor 
Department of Computer Information Systems
chench@appstate.edu

Biography

Charlie C. Chen received his Ph.D. degree in Management Information Systems from Claremont Graduate University. Dr. Chen is a professor in the Department of Computer Information Systems and Supply Chain Management at Appalachian State University. His current research interests are business analytics, project management and supply chain management. He is a Project Management Professional (PMP) certified by the Project Management Institute since 2006. He has authored 4 books, more than 100 referred articles and proceedings, presented at many professional conferences and venues. Dr. Chen has published in journals such as International Journal of Project Management, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Behaviour and Information Technology, Communications of Association for Information Systems, and Journal of Global Information Technology Management. Dr. Chen dedicates himself to be a transnational scholar and is a trip leader for study abroad programs in China, Japan, Spain, Taiwan and Thailand. He was a visiting faculty at Zhejiang University in China, Thammasat University in Thailand, and Gakushuin Women's College in Japan.

Dr. Wei Xie
Assistant Professor
Department of Computer Information Systems
xiew1@appstate.edu

Biography

Wei Xie obtained her  Ph.D. in Information Systems (IS) at Bryan School of Business and Economics at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Wei Xie was born and brought up in China. She finished her undergraduate in China and received her MBA from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater.

Wei’s research interests include cybersecurity, organizational and societal issues of Information Systems, decision-making; digital innovation; behavioral finance, healthcare intervention, global IT, etc. Wei is a member of the Association of Information Systems (AIS) SIGSEC, which focuses on information systems security, cybersecurity, digital forensics, assurance, compliance, and privacy issues.

Before starting her Ph.D. program in Information Systems at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Fall 2017, Wei had worked as a small business owner for many years. Besides her entrepreneurial experience, Wei worked as a Pharmacy Market Analyst after earning her MBA.

Program Cost: $4,250

Program cost includes airfare, meals, lodging, in-country transportation. 

Please note that non-billable costs are estimates only and will be affected by personal spending habits, currency fluctuations, etc. Prices listed in USD unless otherwise noted. Students are encouraged to start planning for their study abroad program costs well in advance. 

Appalachian reserves the right to cancel or alter the program format or to change costs in case of conditions beyond the university's control.  Further details about Appalachian's withdrawal/cancellation policy can be found at this link.

Application Process

1. In order to apply for this program, you will need to contact one of the program leaders and provide your Banner ID and email address. Program leaders may request additional information or a meeting to discuss the details of the program and your interest.
2. When permission to apply for the program is granted, you will receive an email from the program leaders with a link to the application and further instructions.
3. Your application will be considered complete when you have submitted it and paid the $300 deposit fee. The fee cannot be paid until it appears on your student account. Please note that it may take 2–3 business days for it to post to your account. You will receive an email with Instructions for paying the deposit fee. Instructions can also be found in the application.