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# [Success Stories: U.S. Government Promotion of]{.smallcaps}

# [Education and Training Services Abroad]{.smallcaps}

# U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

U.S. Department of Commerce

# 

The U.S. Commercial Service, an agency within the U.S. Department of
Commerce, is tasked with assisting U.S. companies to export their goods
and services internationally. To that end we work extensively with U.S.
education and training institutions, which represent the 5^th^ largest
U.S. service export. Whether your institution is seeking to recruit
students directly, identify local agents to recruit for you, identify
partners in an overseas market, or needs to conduct a background check
on the credibility of an already identified partner, the U.S. Commercial
Service can help.

The following case studies from actual Commercial Service clients
illustrate the various tools we have to assist you in entering new
markets or expanding into existing markets internationally, be it in
Europe, Asia, Latin America or the Middle East.

# [Overseas Partner Development]{.smallcaps}

# University of Nebraska Medical Center

## *Gold Key Service: Partnership Development - Brazil*

Commercial Assistant Mariza Velho in Brazil has been assisting the
University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) since 2001 with contacts
and appointments with potential candidates who could benefit from
UNMC\'s international program. UNMC\'s program focuses on strategic
partnership programs to help international medical institutions and
physicians benefit from the NMC\'s expertise in transplantation, cancer
care and orthopedics programs. Trade Specialist Meredith Bond in Omaha
has been working with UNMC since they developed their international
program in 1999, assisting them with market research, contacts and trade
information.

From 2001 to 2004, UNMC met with various Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro
located medical centers such as Hospital Adventista de Sao Paulo,
Hospital Sirio Libanes, Instituto do Coracao (InCor)-HC-FMUSP, Instituto
Estadual de Hematologia, Instituto Nacional do Cancer (INCA), Hospital
Trauma-Ortopédico (HTO), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)
Medical Center, and Clínica São Vicente-CEGEL (Centro de Estudos Genival
Londres) as part of Gold Key partner matching services requested by
UNMC.

One of the appointments was with Clinica São Vicente\'s (CSV) CEGEL
(Centro de Estudos Genival Londres) educational exchange program
department. As a result of this meeting, CSV recently signed an
agreement with the UNMC and is sending two of its chief nurses from the
Department of Oncology for training at UNMC.

Another appointment with the Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA)
led to an agreement with UNMC\'s international partnership program and
INCA be sending three doctors for a one year training period to
Nebraska.

### 

**Cadence Management Corporation, Oregon**

*Modified Gold Key Service: Partnership Agreement - Sweden*

Cadence Management Corporation, a provider of project management
training services, has been a client of the Portland Export Assistance
Center (EAC) for nearly 4 years. The company became more actively
involved with the Portland EAC and Trade Specialist Jennifer Woods in
2003, after a Portland State University graduate student project
recommended the Gold Key Service (GKS) to the company. The graduate
students had met with Ms. Woods as part of their international business
senior project utilizing a live company as part of their thesis. Cadence
subsequently followed up with Ms. Woods.

After a meeting with Cadence Management, the company quickly determined
to pursue the GKS service in London, and subsequently Sweden. During a
follow-up phone call in the New Year, Mr. Rod Sharman of Cadence
indicated that the Sweden GKS was extremely successful and as a result
they have signed a non-exclusive agreement with a Swedish company, Human
Capital, to be a Global Solutions Provider (GSP) for Cadence in that
market. As a GSP, Human Capital will market and deliver Cadence\'s
project management training programs and is licensed to sell Cadence\'s
services. Cadence, in turn, provides training to key Human Capital staff
who will deliver the training at Cadence -delivered seminars.

Mr. Sharman had high praise for the Sweden Commercial Service office and
Specialist Hakan Vidal, who modified the GKS to fit the specific client
needs based on feedback from Cadence and a previous GKS.

##### Go West Internships, California

Business Facilitation Service and Market Research Counseling:
Partnership Development - Mexico

Go West Internships is a nonprofit educationally oriented exchange
program for students. It provides an opportunity for international
students to enter the United States for training and job experience.
Located in Granite Bay, California, Go West Internships is situated near
the state capital, two hours from San Francisco, and approximately 2.5
hours away from Silicon Valley. Being so close to these areas allows Go
West Internships the ability to network with hundreds of different types
of businesses, which makes for an ideal internship link for students.

Since September 2003, the Sacramento Export Assistance Center (EAC) has
been working with Go West Internships to provide them with network
contacts in Mexico, as well as offer them ideas, market research and
counseling to help them expand their international operations.
Sacramento EAC Director, George Tastard, and Commercial Service
Monterrey Principal Commercial Officer, Ellen Lenny-Pessagno, in Mexico,
were able to help solidify the business contract between Go West
Internships and Monterrey Tech University. As a result of the help
provided by the U.S. Commercial Service, Go West Internships has become
the exclusive provider of California internships to Monterrey Tech
University.

Bernadette Gonzales, Executive Director of Go West Internships is
extremely pleased with the services of the U.S. Commercial Service. She
is especially impressed with the team's enthusiasm and speed. Ms.
Gonzales plans to continue working with the U.S. Commercial Service in
the future.

###### **Student Recruitment**

##### 

##### International Student Network, Pennsylvania

######## Business Facilitation Service & Trade Promotion Event Market Research Counseling - Chile

International Student Network (ISN) was founded in 1995 with the mission
of promoting American education and the value it encompasses across the
globe. ISN is now considered one of the most successful organizers of
American education expositions and trade shows. ISN has been working
with the U.S. Department of Commerce since 1997 and has worked very
closely with Commercial Service offices throughout the world. It has
also sought the assistance of educational specialists in Washington, DC
and has utilized the expertise of various education team members.

In February, 2004, Babish Soni, President of ISN, approached the
Philadelphia Export Assistance Center (EAC) seeking assistance for their
Student Expo, which they planned to promote in Santiago, Chile in April,
2004. Due to the complexity of the Expo, International Trade Specialist
Debora Sykes started working immediately on this request. Commercial
Service Santiago and ISN collaborated to improve the participation and
quality of its presentation by having an Embassy Consul discuss all new
measures for obtaining a student visa. ISN was thrilled that the
Commercial Service was able to confirm the Consulate speaker. Some of
the responsibilities taken on by the Philadelphia EAC were to help ISN
coordinate marketing and logistics with Santiago, assist with the
marketing of the Expo in an effort to recruit U.S. colleges and
universities, and provide pertinent market research with regard to the
Chilean market. While this event was not a certified expo, Commercial
Service Philadelphia/ISN received assistance from Global Trade Programs
Event Coordinator Don Huber with regard to letters of recommendations
and liaisons with the Commercial Service and the Office of International
Operations.

As a result of this activity, Mr. Soni reported that thirty Chilean
students have paid and enrolled in various Pennsylvania and US
universities, with an estimated value of \$30,000.00 per student. The
following is an excerpt from a recent Thank You letter from Mr. Babish
Soni: Student Expo in Santiago, Chile was held on April 21, 2004. The
attendance was considerably up from last fall. Last year we had about
400 visitors and this year the number went up to almost 600 prospective
students in addition to the parents. This success was mostly due to the
tremendous support from the US Department of Commerce in Santiago,
especially Mr. Americo A. Tadeu. Mr. Tadeu helped ISN make the Expo a
complete success, especially at the time of arranging the visa seminar
that was attended by more than 100 prospective students and parents, and
influenced the attendance to the expo overall. We look forward to
working with Mr. Americo Tadeu for next event.

##### 

##### State University of New York Buffalo, New York

######## Trade Fair- Thailand

The State University of New York (SUNY) is the largest public university
system in the United States with 64 locations throughout New York. SUNY
Buffalo participated in STUDY USA 2003 program in Bangkok, Thailand
during March 1 and 2, 2003. As a result of their participation, the
school has enrolled 5 graduate students from Thailand for the Fall
Semester of 2003. The school reports that it will receive combined
revenue of US \$40,000 minimum from each student during their two-year
program.

**American Management Association, New York**

*Foreign Expansion Counseling - China*

American Management Association (AMA) is a US-based global association
that provides a full range of management development and educational
services to individuals, companies and government agencies worldwide,
including 486 of the Fortune 500 companies. While it entered the China
market back in 1996, AMA wanted to set up an office in Guangzhou because
of increasing market demand in South China. Commercial Service Guangzhou
counseled AMA on the training market in South China and issues regarding
setting up an office. Foreign Commercial Service Guangzhou also joined
Consul General Dong in the opening ceremony of AMA\'s Guangzhou office.
Mr. Edward Reilly, President & CEO of AMA, expressed appreciation for
FCS Guangzhou\'s contribution to the opening of AMA\'s office in
Guangzhou. With the assistance from FCS Guangzhou, American Management
Association (AMA) opened its Guangzhou Branch on April 20, 2004.

**The Art Institute of Seattle**

*Single Company Promotion- Thailand*

The Art Institute has been a Seattle Export Assistance Center (EAC)
client for several years. The Institute also is an active participant in
the Washington State marketing consortium, Study Washington - a key
initiative of the Services Team. Jennifer Woodbery, International
Admissions Representative and Study Washington chair-elect, traveled to
Bangkok in May 2000 to hold a Single Company Promotion for the purpose
of recruiting Thai students to the Art Institute. Trade Specialist Susan
Gates had introduced Ms. Woodbery to the Single Company Promotion and
recommended that she try it in Bangkok. Foreign Service National Nalin
Phupoksakul organized the promotion and also was able to have the Art
Institute invited to a dinner held by an association of Thai education
agents, TIECA.

According to Ms. Woodbery, there were over eighty students at the
presentation, a much larger number than they had hoped for. Ms. Woodbery
commented on the excellent job done by the Commercial Service staff in
Bangkok. She especially appreciated the hard work and support of Nalin
Phupoksakul. Ms. Woodbery recently reported that the Art Institute
received applications for eight new students from the Bangkok
presentation. This will result in the Art Institute earning almost
\$107,000 in tuition revenues alone. With books, food, housing, and
other living expenses added in, the U.S. economy will receive over
\$192,000 in new revenue.

### California Lutheran University, California

####### Trade Fair - Switzerland

The U.S. Commercial Service in Zurich, Switzerland recruited and
organized the MBA Fair 2002, which was hosted in four different European
cities. The fist venue was held in Stockholm, Sweden, followed by
Hamburg, Germany, Zurich, Switzerland, and Vienna, Austria. Overall
responsibility to recruit universities to participate in the MBA Fair
lay with the Commercial Service in Zurich, which was also in charge of
the Zurich fair. All logistical and promotional components pertaining to
the Stockholm, Hamburg and Vienna events fell into the bailiwick of the
Commercial Service in the respective city. Last year\'s MBA fair
featured some of the top U.S. business schools, augmented by second-tier
U.S. and non-U.S. universities.

California Lutheran University (CLU), which offers a full-time MBA
program, signed up for the MBA Fair 2002. CLU is a robust scholarly
community, which repeatedly ranked in the top tier of western
universities by \"U.S. News and World Report.\" The CLU representative
at the Hamburg fair was able to attract one of the many visitors he
counseled during the event for an MBA degree. The fact that CLU is
increasingly internationally recognized as an excellent institution
providing high-quality education and professional preparation in a
highly diverse and multicultural environment bode very well with the
visitor \-- so much so that he decided to sign up for the 12-month long
MBA program. Commercial Service Stockholm was the initial point of
contact for California Lutheran University regarding participation in
the fair. Stockholm has proven to be a good source for potential
students due to its predominantly Protestant/Lutheran denomination.

CLU views the U.S. Commercial Service-organized fair an excellent venue
from which to recruit students, which prompted the university to
participate again in the 2003 event.

**[Partner Background Verification]{.smallcaps}**

**Portland State University, Oregon**

*International Company Profile- United Arab Eremites*

Mr. Chris Cartwright, a Program Specialist in the Department of
Continuing Education at Portland State University, contacted Trade
Specialist Jennifer Woods seeking assistance in verifying the
credentials of a group out of Dubai, U.A.E. seeking to partner with PSU
locally to deliver leadership training classes. Ms. Woods explained the
various options available to PSU from simply verifying contact
information, a mailing address, and telephone number to a full
International Company Profile (ICP). Initially Mr. Cartwright chose to
begin with some basic confirmation of information, then decided to go
with a full scope ICP based upon a lack of readily available information
on the potential partner. Ms. Woods explained the importance and value
of verifying a local market partner, particularly for an educational
institution whose credentials and reputation might be at risk.

Ms. Woods contacted Anne de Souza, the Commercial Specialist covering
Education in Dubai, and explained that PSU had been approached by this
local group, and were interested in an ICP. Ms. de Souza had already
done some basic checking and had been able to confirm the existence of
the group, but nothing regarding their credentials. She proceeded to
invite the local company representatives to the Embassy to see what she
could learn in person. Ms. de Souza indicated she would be happy to
conduct a full-fledged ICP, and arranged to call Mr. Cartwright to
discuss the details regarding the proposed project. Upon completion and
receipt of the report, Mr. Cartwright indicated that, based upon the
clear record of the group, he was authorized to proceed with a local
partnership.

As a result of being able to verify their credibility, PSU reached an
agreement with the Manarat Education Consultancy (MEC) to grant PSU
academic credits along with their training certification. PSU receives
\$47 per credit from Manarat in exchange for granting the academic
credits. PSU is also going to begin pursuing a more involved
relationship with Manarat whereby MEC will offer PSU\'s full training
curriculum in the U.A.E. and throughout the Middle East.

**[Agent Identification and Screening]{.smallcaps}**

**Steven F. Austin University, Texas**

*Gold Key Service - Japan*

Stephen F. Austin (SFA) State University is an active member of the
education coalition that Trade Specialist Greg Thompson coordinates in
Texas. Thompson organized a coalition seminar in Dallas on June 6 with
Commercial Specialist Mieko Muto from Tokyo. Muto gave a presentation at
the seminar to promote the Japan market for U.S. colleges. Dr. Hallman
was one of the attendees recruited by Thompson, and through further
marketing effort, Dr. Hallman placed a Gold Key Service request to take
place in Tokyo in September, 2004. Muto scheduled five meetings with
leading study abroad agencies, and three meetings with Japanese colleges
for SFA. Dr. Hallman informed Thompson that SFA entered into a
representation agreement with JA Study Abroad Center, one of the
agencies that Dr. Hallman met during his GKS trip to Japan.

### Kaplan College, FL

#### *Gold Key Service: Partnership Agreement - Brazil*

In March 2003, the Florida-located Kaplan College requested Gold Key
Service (GKS) appointments to find recruiters for online degree
programs. Commercial Assistant Mariza Velho in Brazil prepared the GKS
appointments, which resulted in a commission-based partnership agreement
with Rio-based company Strategy Consult Ltda.