Adding Value to International Business Education: An Irish-American Road Map to Service Learning

This article summarises the experience of two undergraduate schools of business, one in Ireland and one in the United States, in developing an international service learning programme for study-abroad students. Working from an already existing partnership, the schools established an academically-based programme with a support structure for students administered by both institutions. Practical considerations required the Irish partner institution establish its own service learning programme and that the United States partner institution assist in that through a visiting professorship. In the process of this collaborative effort the actors were reminded of the importance of academic and strategic compatibility; senior administrative support; making room for cultural differences; and listening to the student voice. This case is presented as an example of the lessons learned along the road of achieving the combined benefits of study abroad and service learning.