Below, you will find the information from our PREVIOUS program (2015):

Global Summit  Europe - Summer 2015 


WHAT TO EXPECT:  
A Global Summit is a once-in-a-lifetime event for students to learn about the world's most pressing issues, great debates and global trends.  It is a place to come up with innovative and creative ideas for some of the world's great challenges. This Summer, we will be hosting two Global Summit events: one in Barcelona, and the other in Prague.  Students can choose one or both events, and combine them with an extended travel option, allowing them to see more of Europe, and to integrate their traveling experience back into the classroom.  

PROGRAM:
Study abroad in Europe this Summer Break and earn up to 6 academic credits.  During this program, students will have the option to travel across Europe with professors, students and course facilitators, visiting multiple countries. During our Global Summit, students will take stimulating courses with excellent professors and will have the opportunity to learn about Europe through professional visits to leading European companies and organizations.  Throughout a month of classes and visits, students will gain a broad overview of European culture, economy, society, business, and politics.

COURSES:
Students can choose up to two courses, for a total of six semester credits:
GLOBAL SUMMIT BARCELONA - with extended travel options including: Paris, London, Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Budapest

SUMMER A:  Begin in Barcelona
  • Session A-1:  June 11th - July 8th, 2015:  Barcelona, Paris, London
  • Session A-2:  June 11th - July 13th, 2015: Barcelona, Paris, London, Berlin 
GLOBAL SUMMIT PRAGUE - with extended travel options including: London, Berlin, Vienna and Budapest

SUMMER B:  Begin in London
  • Session B-1:  July 3rd - July 25th, 2015: London, Berlin, Prague
  • Session B-2:  July 3rd - July 31st, 2015: London, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest
GLOBAL SUMMIT BARCELONA + PRAGUE: - with extended travel options

MAIN SESSIONS:
  • Main Session (Full):  June 11th - July 31st, 2015: Barcelona, Paris, London, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest 
  • Session A-3:  June 11th - July 25th, 2015: Barcelona, Paris, London, Berlin, Prague
BPU BackpackerU option:
  • Dates:  June 11rd - July 25th, 2015: 
  • Barcelona  June 11th - June 29th, 2015
  • Travel June 29th - July 13th, 2015
  • Prague  July 13th - July 25th, 2015
I would 100% recommend this program to other Iowa students. I have learned so much ... and will carry that with me for the rest of my life."  
- Ryan Burton, University of Iowa

Program Highlights:

  • 7+ weeks, 7 European cities
  • All majors welcome!
  • Travel itinerary includes: Barcelona + Paris + London + Berlin + Prague + Vienna + Budapest
  • Excellent courses to choose from 
  • Earn up to 6 academic credits in the summer
  • Travel with professors, facilitators, and students
  • Visit leading organizations like the OECD or UNESCO in Paris, Banks in London, Companies in Berlin, and cultural visits to leading sites across Europe

Partner Universities:

  • The Summit programs in Barcelona are hosted by the IQS School of Management, of the Ramon Llull University in Barcelona. While in Prague, the Summit programs are hosted by the University of New York in Prague.  While in either of these cities, classes will be held on campus with local professors.  While traveling between Summit host cities, students will be accompanied by professors, and will have classes in the convention centers at the hotels.

Accommodations:

Professional + Cultural Visits
  • Accommodations are included in the program prices
  • Barcelona: 18 nights, apartment / hotel 
  • Paris: 3 nights, hotel
  • London: 5 nights, hotel
  • Berlin: 4 nights, hotel
  • Prague: 12 nights, apartment / hotel
  • Budapest: 6 nights, hotel
  • Learn more: Accommodations
  • Companies visited in previous programs include:
  • Estrella Damm Factory (beer)
  • FC Barcelona Museum  
  • Codorníu Cava Producers  (sparkling wine)
  • SEAT  (automobiles)
  • UNESCO (non-governmental organization)
  • German Parliament (Reichstag Building)   
  • BMW Motorcycle Factory 
  • Learn more:  Professional and Cultural Visits

Prices + Availability:

  • To review the program tuition and fees, please visit our prices page here.
  • Included in the prices: tuition, health insurance, transportation in Europe, accommodations*, and more (see the full list of what is included on our prices page).
  • *Note that the housing prices listed are guaranteed for only the first 20 students confirmed.  Additional students may attend, but their housing will be priced based on market rates at the time of their enrollment. 

Learn more:

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MULTI-LOCATION STUDY ABROAD - EUROPE

Over the course of 7+ weeks, we will visit many great European cities, including:  Barcelona, Paris, London, Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Budapest.   

Barcelona:
  • Itinerary:  Students should arrive in Barcelona on June 11th, and be ready for almost two and half weeks of classes, professional visits and cultural activities in this fantastic city.  Classes will be held on the camps of the prestigious IQS School of Management, of the Ramon Lull University, our host university in Spain.  Read more here: Detailed daily itinerary
  • Travel tips:  "Barcelona is Spain's most cosmopolitan city and one of the Mediterranean's busiest ports. Restaurants, bars and clubs are always packed, as is the seaside in summer." - Read more
  • About Barcelona:  "Barcelona is one of the world's leading tourist, economic, trade fair/exhibitions and cultural-sports centres, and its influence in commerce, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities. It is a major cultural and economic centre in southwestern Europe (Iberian Peninsula), 24th in the world (before Zürich, after Frankfurt) and a financial centre. In 2008 it was the fourth most economically powerful city by GDP in the European Union and 35th in the world with GDP amounting to €177 billion." - Read more
Paris, France
  • Itinerary:  Students will arrive in Paris by train from Barcelona on the morning of June 30th, and will be taken to the hotel for check-in, a brief freshen up, and then will be led on a city tour of Paris.  The next two days will be filled with academic and cultural activities in Paris, before departing for London on the 3rd of July.  Read more here: Detailed daily itinerary
  • Travel tips: "Paris probably has more familiar landmarks than any other city in the world. As a result, first-time visitors often arrive in the French capital with all sorts of expectations: of grand vistas, of intellectuals discussing weighty matters in cafés, of romance along the Seine, of naughty nightclub revues, of rude people who won’t speak English. If you look hard enough, you can probably find all of those. But another approach is to set aside the preconceptions of Paris and to explore the city’s avenues and backstreets as if the tip of the Eiffel Tower or the spire of Notre Dame wasn’t about to pop into view at any moment. You’ll soon discover (as so many others before you have) that Paris is enchanting almost everywhere, at any time" - Read more
  • About Paris: "Today, Paris is one of the world's leading business and cultural centres, and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, science, fashion and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major cities. The city has one of the largest GDPs in the world, €607 billion (US$845 billion) as of 2011, and as a result of its high concentration of national and international political, cultural and scientific institutions is one of the world's leading tourist destinations. The Paris Region hosts the world headquarters of 30 of the Fortune Global 500 companies in several business districts, notably La Défense, the largest dedicated business district in Europe" - Read more


London, England
  • Itinerary:  Students will arrive in London on Friday July 3rd.  A free weekend will be filled with suggested sight-seeing and optional activities.  Students will then have two days filled with academic and cultural activities in London, before departing for Berlin on the 8th of July.    Read more here: Detailed daily itinerary
  • Travel tips: "One of the world’s most visited cities, London has something for everyone: from history to culture, art to architecture.  English may be the national tongue, but over 300 languages shape London’s linguistic soundscape. These languages also represent cultures that season the culinary aromas on London’s streets, the clothing you glimpse and the music you hear. It can seem like the whole world has come to town. Museums, such as the British Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum, have collections as diverse as they are magnificent, while flavours at markets such as Notting Hill and Maltby Street range across the gourmet spectrum. London’s diverse cultural dynamism makes it quite possibly the world’s most international city, while still being somehow intrinsically British." - Read more
  • About London:  "London is a leading global city, with strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transport all contributing to its prominence. It is one of the world's leading financial centres and has the fifth-or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the world depending on measurement. London is a world cultural capital. It is the world's most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and London's 43 universities form the largest concentration of higher education in Europe." - Read More
Berlin, Germany
  • Itinerary:  Students will arrive in Berlin on Friday July 8th, and are certain to love this city!  The 9th and 10th of July will be busy days, filled with academic and cultural activities.  There will be a free weekend in Berlin, and students will be give a chance to explore Berlin on their own, or to engage in our optional organized activities.  On July 13th, we will depart as a group to Prague.    Read more here: Detailed daily itinerary
  • Travel tips: "Twenty years after its post-Wall rebirth, Berlin is a scene-stealing combo of glamour and grit, teeming with top museums and galleries, grand opera and guerrilla clubs, gourmet temples and ethnic snack shacks. Whether your tastes run to posh or punk, you can sate them in Berlin. When it comes to fashion, art, design and music, the German capital is the city to watch. A global influx of creatives has turned it into a cauldron of cultural cool reminiscent of New York in the ’80s. What draws them is Berlin’s legendary climate of tolerance, openness and experimentation infused with an edgy undercurrent that gives this ‘eternally unfinished’ city its street cred." - Read more
  • About Berlin: "Berlin is a world city of culture, politics, media, and science, hosting 147 foreign embassies. Its economy is primarily based on high-tech industries and the service sector, encompassing a diverse range of creative industries, research facilities, media corporations, and convention venues. Significant industries include IT, pharmaceuticals, biomedical engineering, biotechnology, electronics, traffic engineering, and renewable energy. Berlin is home to renowned universities, research institutes, orchestras, museums, and celebrities and is host to many sporting events. Its urban setting and historical legacy have made it a popular location for international film productions. The city is well known for its festivals, diverse architecture, nightlife, contemporary arts, public transportation networks, and an extremely high quality of living." - Read more


Prague, Czech Republic
  • Itinerary:  After spending a few weeks traveling, students will now have the chance to slow down, and spend two weeks in one of our favorite cities on the planet: Prague!   We will arrive from Berlin on July 13th, and will spend the next two weeks exploring Prague, and engaging in academic and cultural activities.  On July 25th, we travel by bus to Vienna, and then on to Budapest.    Read more here: Detailed daily itinerary
  • Travel tips: "Prague is the equal of Paris in terms of beauty. The history goes back a millennium. And the beer? The best in Europe.  Prague's maze of cobbled lanes and hidden courtyards is a paradise for the aimless wanderer, always beckoning you to explore a little further. Just a few blocks away from the Old Town Square you can stumble across ancient chapels, unexpected gardens, cute cafes and old-fashioned bars with hardly a tourist in sight. One of the great joys of the city is its potential for exploration"  - Read more
  • Events in Prague:  What's happening this month in Prague?  Take a look here for upcoming events, festivals, music shows and more...
  • About Prague:  "Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Its rich history makes it a popular tourist destination, and the city receives more than 4.4 million international visitors annually, as of 2011. In 2011, Prague was the sixth-most-visited city in Europe. Prague ranked fifth in the Tripadvisor world list of best destinations in 2014." - Read more


Vienna, Austria
  • Itinerary:  Vienna is quick stop-over on our journey from Prague to Budapest.  On July 25th, we will leave Prague early in the morning by bus to Vienna, where we will spend the day exploring, and then will continue on to Budapest, where we will spend the final week of our program.    Read more here: Detailed daily itinerary
  • Travel tips: "Vienna is packed with imperial history; at the same time it has exciting contemporary museums, lively eating and nightlife scenes, and many quiet corners to explore." - Read more
  • About Vienna: "Vienna is the capital and largest city of Austria. Vienna is host to many major international organizations, including the United Nations and OPEC. The city was ranked 1st globally for its culture of innovation in 2007 and 2008, and fifth globally (out of 256 cities) in the 2011 Innovation Cities Index, which analyzed 162 indicators in covering three areas: culture, infrastructure and markets" - Read more
Budapest, Hungary
  • Itinerary:  On July 25th, we will arrive in Budapest in the evening for a late check-in and then will go out to explore the city.  Throughout the next week, students will have a chance to explore one of the great-historical cities in Europe.  Our days will be filled with academic and cultural activities, and then we will have a graduation ceremony and celebration on July 30th, before flying home on the 31st. Read more here: Detailed daily itinerary
  • Travel tips: "Straddling the Danube River, with the Buda Hills to the west and the Great Plain to the east, Budapest is a gem of a city. Architecturally, Budapest is a treasure, with enough baroque, neoclassical, Eclectic and art nouveau (Secessionist) buildings to satisfy anyone’s appetite" - Read more
  • About Budapest: "Budapest is the capital and the largest city of Hungary, and one of the largest cities in the European Union.  Cited as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, its extensive World Heritage Site includes the banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter, and more. The city attracts about 4.3 million tourists a year, making it the 25th most popular city in the world (and the 6th in Europe) according to Euromonitor.  Considered a financial hub in Central Europe, Budapest is also the highest ranked Central/Eastern European city on Innovation Cities' Top 100 index.  Budapest is home to the headquarters of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), and the first foreign office of the China Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA)." - Read more
Note:  Program (itinerary, courses, professors, prices and more) subject to change without prior notice
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Photos from Francesco Crippa, Michela Simoncini