Intensive Week

At the Budapest University of Economics and Business, one of our key objectives is to create a diverse and inspiring international environment for our students. A central element of this effort is our International Intensive Week, a recurring program held twice every semester. These weeks bring together students and lecturers from across our more than 250 partner institutions, providing a platform for academic collaboration and intercultural exchange. Over the past years, participants have joined us from Europe, Asia, and Latin America, including countries such as France, Germany, Thailand, Malaysia, and Colombia.

Through a wide range of elective courses not included in the regular curriculum, students gain new perspectives, develop professional skills, and earn academic credits, while also building lasting international connections. Many courses are co-organized with partner universities, ensuring that visiting students benefit from both academic expertise and a truly global classroom experience.

The next International Intensive Week will take place between 27–31 October 2025, offering another opportunity for students from our partner institutions worldwide to engage in this unique and collaborative program.

Summary of a previous Intensive Week.

Courses of the 27-31 October 2025 International Intensive Week
The October program will feature a selection of specialized courses addressing current global challenges in business, tourism, finance, and communication. These courses combine academic knowledge with practical perspectives, enabling students to deepen their expertise while working in an international learning environment.

1. Super Hoteliers Intensive Week

Among all tourism services, hotels are among the most complex and dynamic organizations, facing evolving challenges every day.
The program offers two focused streams to develop key industry competencies:

Revenue Management: ideal for students interested in analytics, forecasting, and hotel property management.
Organizational Development: recommended for those drawn to human, social, and community-focused challenges within the hospitality sector.

2. Back to the Future of the Banking Sector – Practical Secrets of (Green) Financing

The course aims to provide students with global knowledge useful for their future careers by introducing them to the practical world of financing, with a special focus on green financing in the banking sector. During the week, participants will prepare a proposal for a green loan.

3. Communication without Greenwashing – Ethical and Transparent Communication

An interdisciplinary blended short course designed to equip learners with the critical knowledge and practical skills required to communicate messages ethically and transparently. This course empowers participants to become credible communicators and informed consumers, capable of recognizing, avoiding, and correcting greenwashing practices.

4. Current Issues in International Business and Communication

A guest lecture series by faculty members from international partner universities. Participants gain insights into current international business and communication challenges and best practices, covering areas such as strategy, marketing, communication, logistics, finance, HR, and the social/political/regulatory environment of business.

Teona Tepnadze

The Intensive Week was one of the most meaningful experiences of my studies. Listening to international guests share their personal stories gave us new perspectives and motivation to see opportunities differently. Working with students from many countries made the course even more special – despite our differences, we connected and learned from one another. As Dr. Bauer said, “you don’t have to be anything, but understandable,” a message that stayed with me. I became more empathetic, gained a deeper understanding of others, and started to view cultural diversity in a more open and positive way.

(international student, Budapest University of Economics and Business, Hungary)

Prof. Dr. Markus Fredebeul-Krein

My week at BUEB was truly rewarding. Although the schedule was intensive, teaching was a pleasure thanks to the students’ attentiveness, curiosity, and proactive engagement. Their thoughtful questions and lively discussions pushed topics beyond my expectations. I also greatly appreciated the warm and supportive atmosphere on campus—everything was well organized, from logistics to communication, allowing full focus on learning and exchange. I would strongly recommend continuing this format, ideally with more lecturers from partner universities to further enrich the cross-cultural dialogue.

(Dean, FB Wirtschaftswissenschaften | Business Studies, FH Aachen, University of Applied Sciences)

Led by a dynamic group of international and in-house faculty members, the courses provide students with valuable interdisciplinary knowledge while fostering intercultural exchange. Participants have the opportunity to broaden both their academic and personal horizons, build global connections, and engage with peers from diverse cultural backgrounds. Importantly, the International Intensive Week regularly welcomes not only European students but also participants from partner institutions in Asia and Latin America, such as Universiti Sains Malaysia, Chiang Rai Rajabhat University in Thailand, and Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Colombia.

Students who completed the courses successfully earned 3 ECTS credits, making this a valuable academic opportunity beyond their regular curriculum. The topics addressed cutting-edge global challenges and were developed in close collaboration with our business partners, reinforcing the practical relevance of the learning experience.

Gallery

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for organizing such amazing short-programs. We have received nothing but positive feedback from our students about their experiences, and we are incredibly thankful for the opportunity you have given us to participate.

Katrin Potapenko (Erasmus+ and International Project Coordinator, Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences)

Prof. Dominique Mazé, PhD

During the Intensive Week at BUEB, I taught a course on Intercultural Communication and Management to a diverse group of 38 students from different nationalities. The cultural variety created fertile ground for meaningful discussions, practical analyses, and the development of intercultural competences. Students worked in teams on a complex real-life case, presenting thoughtful solutions that reflected maturity, agility, and openness. Their engagement throughout the week was outstanding. It was a privilege to teach at BUEB, and I am grateful for the warm welcome and professional organization that made the experience both smooth and inspiring.
(Brest Business School, France)

Alla Vohkta

As an international student, intercultural communication is part of my everyday life, which is why I joined this course. By the fourth day, my perspective had changed significantly: I realized that stereotypes can limit true understanding and that approaching others with openness builds authentic connections. I also discovered how communication styles differ – silence, indirectness, or directness can mean very different things across cultures. These insights made me more patient and empathetic. For me, the biggest takeaway was that international competencies are not just about knowledge, but about self-awareness, flexibility, and empathy in practice.

(Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Finnland)

Gloria Santos Duarte

From the first day, the program felt well-structured and welcoming, helping us connect quickly. What impressed me most was the diversity in the classroom: sharing experiences showed how cultures shape thinking but also revealed common ground. I learned about culture shock models, cultural standards, and intercultural negotiation tools like BATNA and ZOPA, which connected with my own experience abroad. The emphasis on teamwork, communication, and emotional intelligence was invaluable. This course gave me both theoretical insights and practical skills, making me more confident in adapting and collaborating in multicultural contexts.
(Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences, Estonia)

For further information about the International Intensive Week, please contact us at mobility@uni-bge.hu.