Global News and Media

The University of San Diego’s Ahlers Center for International Business has concluded the  Si Exporto Program , an applied export education and consulting initiative supporting 25+ small businesses in California to expand internationally. Participating companies represented a diverse set of industries ranging from health and beauty to cybersecurity to medical tourism.  The program delivered structured training in  international marketing, international sales,  international logistics, and global strategy by Knauss professors Richard Clark, Jaime Gomez and Eileen Daspro and  MBA alumni Ari Sacal.  In addition, the program provided  paid international consulting opportunities for 10 Knauss international business students , who conducted supervised market research and internationalization plans for participating firms. This student consulting component aligned with workforce development objectives, enabling students to become Nasbite Certified Global Business Professionals (CGBPs) as a part of the initiative. The program was supported by a  $120,000 grant  and implemented in  collaboration with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), State of California, and the World Trade Center Northern California , strengthening The Knauss School of Business and the Ahlers Center for Business support of trade education and export promotion in our state.

This fall, students from the University of San Diego - Knauss School of Business and CETYS Universidad participated in a dynamic, two-day cross-border exchange designed to foster academic collaboration, cultural understanding, and hands-on global learning.

The University of San Diego’s Knauss School of Business and the Ahlers Center for International Business are proud to highlight the successful conclusion of an international research trip to Japan by faculty members Robert Eberhart, Ph.D., Carsten Zimmermann, Ph.D., and Nichole Wissman, Ph.D., from September 20–26. The week-long visit provided an enriching opportunity for academic exchange, cross-cultural learning, and strengthening academia-industry collaborations. During the trip, the faculty participated in a variety of professional and cultural engagements, including: Presenting the keynote address and attending the 2026 Annual Conference of the Academic Association for Organizational Science at Aoyama Gakuin University. Presenting collaborative sustainability research to the Corporate Venturing Office of the Hitachi Corporation and engaging in discussions with Hitachi colleagues. Sharing research on equity in climate adaptation at Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Energy Science , where Nichole Wissman engaged with Professor Benjamin McLellan and students in meaningful conversations on adaptation and equity. Connecting with global scholars, including Professor Tsutomu Nakano and colleagues from Copenhagen Business School and Aalborg University, to explore potential future research collaborations. Touring Japanese industry sites, including an incense factory and a local brewery, to gain insights into business practices and operations. In addition to the academic and professional achievements, the trip fostered rich cultural exchange through dinners and informal gatherings with local colleagues, further strengthening international relationships. This research trip exemplifies the Ahlers Center’s commitment to fostering international engagement and preparing faculty and students to thrive in a globally connected business environment.