This summer, Bisk College of Business instructor Tim Muth and senior Jonathan Moore represented Florida Tech at the X-Culture Global Symposium Aug. 3–7 at the University of Vaasa in Finland. The symposium brought together more than 200 students, faculty and business leaders from over 50 countries to collaborate on real-world challenges and immerse themselves in cross-cultural learning.
Renowned for connecting top students and faculty with industry professionals in international settings, the symposium blends academic rigor with cultural immersion.
“Personally, this was my first time traveling out of the U.S., and that allowed me to appreciate Finnish beauty but also learn about traveling abroad,” Moore, an information systems major said.
This year’s program focused on sustainability and advanced technologies in business, combining company visits, case challenges, cultural experiences and educational sessions.
As part of the X-Culture experiential international business project, students met with executives, toured factories and worked in teams to develop and present solutions to real business challenges.
“The company site visits and the enthusiasm from the faculty—mainly [instructor] Muth—allowed me to gain more insight into the case and see new solutions,” he said.
Moore participated in a case challenge as a member of an international consulting team, analyzing and solving a business challenge for Finnish company Crimppi alongside his teammates from India, Kenya and North Carolina.
“It was very rewarding to develop recommendations and then be able to present directly to the leaders at the company,” Moore said. “For my personal development, it helped me strengthen my cross-cultural communication skills and expand my ‘global mindset.’ It also allowed me to be adaptable, as well as work on team-based problem-solving.
All in all, the most rewarding part of the experience was expanding my network and getting to interact with individuals from other cultures.”
