Delegates from the University of Bayreuth in Germany (UBT) joined the Ohio University community from April 28-30, 2022.
The visit served as an opportunity to celebrate the inaugural class of graduates in the undergraduate Double Degree in Sport Management program in the College of Business, renew the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two universities, and explore additional areas of academic and research interest.
“It is a pleasure to renew this MOU with the University of Bayreuth to support the continued excellence of the partnership in Sport Management, but also to affirm OHIO’s commitment to exploring new areas of shared interest and excellence throughout our respective universities,” Ohio University President Hugh Sherman said.
The UBT delegation included Prof. Dr. Arnim Heinemann, director of the International Office; Dr. Tim Ströbel, program coordinator and professor of marketing and sport management; and Lars Griebel, research assistant and Ph.D. student and the student contact for the double degree program at UBT.
The Office of Global Affairs and B. David Ridpath, Ph.D., associate professor of sports management in the College of Business, coordinated numerous meetings and events to connect interested individuals and departments with the delegates.
The College of Business’ connections to UBT date back to 2011, when the first MOU was signed. Since that time, the Global Consulting Program (GCP) in the College of Business has sent more than 150 students to Bayreuth. In addition, the Double Degree in Sport Management was formed and Ridpath and Ströbel have engaged in visiting professorships (through Fulbright and Robert and Rene Glidden Visiting Professorships).
During the visit, the UBT representatives met with College of Business Dean Jackie Rees Ulmer and students, faculty and staff from the College of Business, including faculty and staff from the Center for International Business (CIBED) and the Department of Sport Management.
The representatives also discussed the connection between OHIO’s African Studies program and UBT’s Institute for African Studies during the visit. In addition, connections were established to explore ties in chemistry, as UBT has extensive expertise and interest in polymers and biochemistry, among others.
In celebration of the Double Degree in Sport Management’s inaugural class of graduates, a reception was hosted for faculty, staff, and students who have participated in both the administration and programming of this exciting double degree.
“It was a delight to celebrate our first double degree graduates and see the program gain traction. Going forward, there is so much we can do with the UBT relationship in teaching, research and other great collaborations. The sky is the limit,” Ridpath said.
To see photos from the visit, please visit this webpage. For additional information on the visit and the partnership between the two institutions, please contact the Office of Global Affairs at globalaffairs@ohio.edu.