Beyond Borders, International Education Seeks a Human Connection with Babson’s Amir Reza

Babson College has been ranked the number one school in entrepreneurship for 31 consecutive years. Amir Reza, Dean of Babson Academy, believes an international education approach to this learning can take Babson, and others focused on entrepreneurship, to new heights. Beyond borders, international education offers a humanizing perspective and a well-rounded learning process that shows future entrepreneurs how to create thriving businesses that change the world. Key Insights & Timestamps: [00:00] Podcast begins [01:58] From Childhood Experiences to Ed Career: Finding humanity & learning around the world [05:22] Entrepreneurship Meets International: Babson’s entrepreneurship programs go global [09:07] Tech at Babson: Bringing gamification learning to entrepreneurial learning [12:32] Is Higher Ed Being Undermined? Government policies challenge global education [22:18] Rapid Fire Questions: Amir talks humanity, opportunity, & career connections Guest Spotlight Amir Reza: Amir Reza is the dean of the Babson Academy for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurial Learning (Babson Academy), a dedicated unit within Babson College that inspires change in the way universities teach and learn entrepreneurship. He is also dean of Global Education, responsible for advancing overall internationalization efforts for Babson College through curricular and cocurricular programs. Reza formerly was vice provost for International & Multicultural Education at Babson College. He has served on regional leadership boards for NAFSA: Association of International Educators, and has presented at national and international conferences on international education. He chaired the Editorial Committee of the Association of International Education Administrators. Key Takeaways: Internationalization Meets Entrepreneurship: “How can I convince stakeholders that, without internationalization, perhaps we can’t be the best entrepreneurship school?” With Babson College being a top school in entrepreneurship, Amir approaches his work in international education with a focus on future founders and business owners. Being able to provide global learning opportunities to entrepreneurship students elevates the internationalization of Babson and encourages success from international students and those studying abroad. Gaming Enhances Education: “Gamification, especially for Gen Z, is critical if we're going to be relevant as educators.” To appeal to younger generations of aspiring entrepreneurs, Amir has been involved in developing the Babson Mindset Game, a new educational approach that gamifies entrepreneurial learning. Beyond lectures and case studies, today’s students respond well to challenging puzzles and innovative virtual learning tools, especially when understanding complex global business ideas. Policies Create Challenges: “Higher education and, as an extension, international higher education is under attack in many ways, and we are being undermined in terms of resources.” In a divided world facing challenges with climate change, resources, and international conflict, Amir believes that international education and higher education are vital. However, recent policies regarding immigration and educational funding create existential threats to higher education that Amir believes will stunt the solutions being created around the world’s most pressing issues. Resources Mentioned: Babson College | babson.edu Connect with Amir Reza: LinkedIn For More Information: Learn more about the Association of International Education Administrators at AIEAworld.org. Visit ViaTRM.com to learn more about Via TRM and access to additional resources. Stay Connected: Connect with Host Brooke Roberts on LinkedIn