Lauder Institute Launches Expanded Summer Immersion for Class of 2027, Introducing New Geopolitical Themes
Published June 24, 2025
The Lauder Institute has launched its signature Summer Immersion Program for the Class of 2027—an intensive experience abroad that serves as a cornerstone of the Institute’s Master of Arts in International Studies, a joint degree offered in combination with the Wharton MBA.
This year’s Immersion program, now six weeks instead of five, offers a deep dive into the Institute’s newly introduced geopolitical themes, with an additional week at the start of the immersion dedicated to contextualizing the geopolitical challenges shaping today’s business landscape. Through lectures and discussions, students engage with business leaders, lawyers, policymakers, activists, and scholars to explore how the Institute’s four core themes relate to their target region. Themes include: strategic decision-making in a multipolar world; data-driven societies and economies; economic inclusion and development; and resource management and interdependencies.
“This new structure allows our students to connect complex global issues with local and regional realities,” said Lauder Director Jules van Binsbergen. “It sets the tone for thoughtful engagement throughout the summer.”
In addition to these thematic sessions, students visit a range of organizations that highlight how local businesses and stakeholders are responding to larger geopolitical trends. These site visits provide students with a firsthand understanding of how such dynamics unfold in different political, economic, and cultural environments. They also serve as experiential learning opportunities for students to practice appropriate communication styles within local cultures.
After the first week of Immersion, students in language programs spend the remaining five weeks participating in group classes and one-on-one instruction, and continue exploring their host country through company visits, all of which are conducted in their target language. These programs are primarily based in a single city and country to maximize language acquisition through sustained immersion.
Meanwhile, students in non-language programs—Global and Africa-General—embark on multi-country itineraries, with stops in several key markets. Their experiences include academic seminars, business briefings, and cultural excursions designed to illuminate the interplay between regional dynamics and global forces.
View highlights from the Class of 2027 Summer Immersion below.
The SAMENA–Arabic Program began its first week in Abu Dhabi, meeting with organizations and touring sites around the city before continuing on to Tunisia. Pictured here, students stand on the shore of Corniche Beach. The Europe–German Program toured Berlin, with stops at the Brandenburg Gate (pictured), the Berlin Wall, the Berlin TV Tower on Alexanderplatz, and a boat ride along the Spree River. The Europe–Italian Program visited Bologna City Hall and met with City Counselor Mattia Santori to discuss tourism growth and sustainability challenges in the city. The Latin America–Spanish Program toured Bogotá’s historic La Candelaria district, concluding at La Puerta Falsa, one of the city’s oldest restaurants. The Africa–General Program began its visit in Kenya with panoramic views of Nairobi from the rooftop of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). The program will also travel to Ghana, Senegal, and South Africa. The SAMENA–Hindi Program met with representatives from TERI—The Energy and Resources Institute—to discuss the organization’s research efforts into energy, climate change, and sustainability solutions. The Europe–French Program’s first-ever visit to UNESCO in Paris featured a wide-ranging discussion with senior leaders, covering both the organization’s efforts to protect cultural heritage during conflict—focusing on Iraq, Iran, and Israel—and its newly introduced charter on neurotechnology ethics. The visit included a viewing of Picasso’s largest artwork, created specifically for UNESCO. The Africa-French program visited NBA Academy Africa in Senegal—the continent’s first elite basketball training center—to explore the business of global sports in emerging markets. The academy recruits top talent ages 12-16 from across Africa, offering training and academic support to prepare them for U.S. high schools, colleges, and potential NBA careers. The Latin America–Portuguese program visited MUB3—the Stock Market Museum of São Paulo—to learn about the history of Brazil’s capital markets and the B3 (São Paulo Stock Exchange). The East and Southeast Asia–Korea Program explored the Seosulla-gil Stonewall Walkway, a historic Seoul landmark once patrolled by soldiers during the Joseon Dynasty. The East & Southeast Asia–Mandarin Program paused for a group photo before a meet-and-greet reception with Lauder alumni in the Bund district of central Shanghai. The East and Southeast Asia–Japanese Program met with Gabriela Ramos, former UNESCO Assistant Director-General, at United Nations University in Tokyo to discuss the influence of digital dynamics and AI on education, culture, and science. The Global Program visited the BMW Plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, touring the assembly shop that produces the X3, X4, X5, X6, and XM Sports Activity and Sport Utility Vehicles for both domestic and export markets. The program will also travel to Washington, D.C., and then internationally to Zambia, Singapore, and the Philippines. The Europe–Russian Program traveled to Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital, and met with Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen at the Seimas (Parliament). Ms. Čmilytė-Nielsen is Chair of the Liberal Movement, former Speaker of the Seimas, and a chess grandmaster. She discussed regional security, social policy, and efforts to strengthen democratic institutions in the country.
