Business, Trade, and Logistics in Western Europe

When: Spring Break 2023 (March 18-26, 2023)

Course Numbers: Either part of SCM 433 (Supply Chain Logistics) class or INTB 406 (International Business Study Abroad) class

Program Fee: $1950 for currently enrolled UA students (after $500 IGB scholarship award. Full program fee is $2450 – for non-UA students)

Trip Highlights:

This trip is intended to provide you an immersive business and cultural experience in Western Europe – especially The Netherlands and Germany.

The following are some of the trip activities:

The Netherlands, the sixth-largest economy in the European Union, plays an important role as a European transportation hub, with a consistently high trade surplus, stable industrial relations, and low unemployment. Industry focuses primarily on food processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery.

Enjoy a welcome dinner with your classmates as you discuss your plans and goals for this study trip. Glide through the canals of Amsterdam on a dinner cruise that features great views of the illuminated city. Enjoy the evening lights on the banks of the canals at an easygoing dockside restaurant.

Explore Amsterdam City through a cultural guided tour: Amsterdam, also known as 'Venice of the North', is the Netherlands’ capital and is famous for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system, and narrow houses with gabled facades, legacies of the city’s 17th-century Golden Age. Its Museum District houses the Van Gogh Museum, works by Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum, and modern art at the Stedelijk. Cycling is key to the city’s character, and there are numerous bike paths. Uncover the 800 years of Amsterdam's history and culture: from its humble beginnings on the river Amstel to the glorious Golden Age. Walk around the city and admire the famous sights and monuments such as the Jordaan, the world-famous Canal Belt, Dam square, the Begijnhof and much more.

Learn the perks of airports collaboration: Royal Schiphol Group is joining forces in the area of advertising by Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to collaborate with the three regional airports: Eindhoven Airport, Rotterdam The Hague Airport and Lelystad Airport. Learn what advantages such partnerships bring and what obstacles, in contrary, they can also present.

Rotterdam: Combining futuristic architecture with explosive history, Rotterdam was originally founded as a small fisherman’s village 800 years ago. The city soon exploited its ideal location alongside the big European rivers and grew into a powerful industrial and trading force. After the German bombing in WWII, the city arose from its ashes and became one of Europe’s most impressive business settings, from traditional industries such as agri-food and maritime services to a large creative sector. The extensive distribution system including rail, roads, and waterways have earned Rotterdam the nicknames "Gateway to Europe" and "Gateway to the World".

Visit the smartest port in the world: Port of Rotterdam Authority. Rotterdam is a world-class port, and Europe's largest port by far. Anything you can imagine passes through here. Rotterdam is the gateway to Europe. A vital logistical hub for the entire planet. Goods pass through Rotterdam on their way to and from destinations throughout the world. From pineapple juice to paper, from computers to chemicals. Find out more about their plans to create a digital twin of the port to track ship movements, infrastructure, weather, geographic and water data. The digital replica will help the port to improve efficiency and overall operation.

Case study: Reshaping global trade – Shypple: The company empowers their clients to improve the way they do business by removing uncertainty and barriers to trade. Through their technological expertise, industry experience and commitment to collaboration, they aim to deliver innovation, confidence and transparency across supply chain. Take a real-life example that proved to be successful and give feedback on its process!

Duisburg is a city in the Ruhr area of Western Germany, located on the Rhine River. It was a major center of iron, steel and chemical industries in the 19th century and it was for this reason that Duisburg was heavily bombed in the Second World War with 299 raids on the city. Today, Duisburg produces more steel than any other city in Europe and disused production facilities – such as the Landschaftspark – have been imaginatively transformed into visitor attractions and event spaces for corporate and cultural events. The former ironworks at Landschaftspark is now one of the world’s finest leisure parks and home to Europe’s largest artificial diving center within the old gasometer. The site is among the world’s most unique monuments to industrial heritage.

Duisport to expand its leading position in China trains - Duisburger Hafen: Around 30 percent of all rail-based trade between China and Europe runs through the Port of Duisburg (Duisport), which is the start and end point of the China trains, operating 35-40 trains per week between Duisport and a dozen different destinations in China. The port is aiming to reach up to 100 China-bound trains per week, coping with the booming trade with China. You need to see this megalomania with your own eyes to believe it! Prepare to be surprised by the world’s biggest inland port, which sets new standards with 22 port basins and a body of water covering approximately 180 hectares. See the exceptional side of Duisburg – from the water and so discover the world’s biggest inland port.

Frankfurt: Frankfurt am Main earns its “Mainhattan” nickname by having more tall buildings than any other German city. It is a pretty modern city. It is home to businesses, skyscrapers and Europe's third largest airport – all of which are state of the art. This may be why Frankfurt has a certain fondness for a wide array of museums. After all, the city is always a little ahead of its time but likes to keep records of it too. Frankfurt's most famous son, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, is omnipresent in the city. You can retrace his footsteps all over the place, including the Goethe House.

Visit Germany's largest airport: What challenges does such status represent? - Frankfurt Airport (FRA): In Frankfurt am Main (FRA), more than 70 million people board flights every year. This makes Frankfurt Airport not only Germany's largest airport, but also the fourth in the ranking of Europe's largest airports. In a comparison of the largest airports in the world, FRA occupies a solid 15th place. This all sounds very successful and fancy, there are many challenges that come with it too, though. Hear yourself how the airport's staff face them.

Cultural event - Take a guided tour of Frankfurt am Main: Visit the city's Old Town and most important historical sights - Roemer Square, the City Hall, St. Paul's Church, St. Bartholomeus' Cathedral and other important sites in the history of the city and country.

Experience the Germany Railway system on an overnight journey to Hamburg.

Hamburg, officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg is the second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and 8th largest city in the European Union with a population of over 1.84 million. The term Venice of the North refers to various cities in Northern Europe that contain canals, comparing them to Venice, Italy, which is renowned for its canals (see Grand Canal). Some of these nicknames (e.g. in the case of Amsterdam) date back centuries, while others like Birmingham are very recently given and invented by the cities' own. It's a little-known fact that Hamburg has more bridges inside its city limits than any other city in the world and more canals than Amsterdam and Venice combined!

Cultural event: Tour Hamburg Harbor: Experience the unique maritime flair of the Port of Hamburg. Discover the many facets and impressive dimensions of the port and learn more about its history and current situation.

Learn about the struggles to reach pre-covid numbers in 2023: Coronavirus outbreaks and related restrictions led to a shortage of workers and truckers at several major ports around the world, slowing the movement of goods in and out of freight hubs and pushing container shipping rates to record highs. Freight CEO believes “It’s going to ease in 2023, but it’s not going to go back to 2019.” What is his team doing to ease it as much as possible then?

Cultural event - Guided tour of Hamburg City

Farewell Dinner: Gather for one last feast. Reflect on your incredible trip and raise a glass to your European adventure!