The discussion about the role of academia and business in preparing entrants onto the labor market is most likely as old as the Academia itself. Generally the discussion looks like that: Academic view: we are not vocational schools and still we deliver what we are paid for. Business view: schools in general teach outdated knowledge and skills not compatible with fast changing business needs. The Central European Institute (CEI), an organization within Quinnipiac University was established to foster mutually beneficial business and academic relationships . A few years ago, the CEI recognized an opportunity for students to provide a real, hands on and up to date consulting services for international companies planning to enter the US market. The student multidisciplinary teams (composed of MBA and International Business students) are led by leader/manager. The teams work directly with companies, owners and management teams and report do the Director of the CEI. Besides applying their business knowledge to real businesses the student teams are prepared to launch pilot projects on campus or with local businesses hence providing a real life test for the business products and services. The presentation will showcase a few projects that the students worked on and will share some lessons learned.

1. We’re a nationally ranked private university with 3
campuses, a college of arts and sciences and 8
professional schools, 10,000 students and 50,000 alumni
who live and work in 61 countries. Through academic
innovation, a focus on the professions, and extensive
experiential learning opportunities, we provide a
springboard for your career success and enable you to
make your impact on the world.

2. Quinnipiac Facts

3. Programs
 Arts & Sciences
Business
 Communications
 Education
 Engineering
 Health Sciences
 Law
 Medicine
 Nursing

4. Quinnipiac University
Location

5. Quinnipiac University
Campus

6. Campus

7. Central European
Institute
The institute is an umbrella organization under which
country-specific, endowed chairs are established to
develop relations between the United States and their
respective countries. The endowed chairs oversee
academic initiatives and student learning. In addition, the
center organizes study abroad programs, exchange
programs, scholarship and a foreign lecture series.

8. IDEA: Connect U.S. business students seeking
practical work experiences + Central European
companies planning to enter the U.S. market.
CEI Student Consulting Team
Step 1: Assemble student team
● Director announces search for 4-8 students, mix of graduate/undergrad
● Students apply from MBA, Law, International Business, Econ, Finance

9. Step 2: Select Companies
● Partner with Technology & Science Officer at Hungarian Embassy to identify
companies interested in U.S. market
● Select partner companies based on:
○ Feasibility: Can we actually add value for the client?
○ Length of Project: Can we do this in a semester?
○ Intensity of Project: Several short projects vs. one big project?
Step 3: Make Adjustments!
● Chose “Project Manager” to increase accountability, divide work, communicate
with clients
● Focus on 1 project at a time (3-4 weeks), then move to another

10. ● Market and industry research
● Competitive analysis
● User experience testing
● Copywriting/Editing
● Marketing strategy
● Website review
● Price comparison
● Social media evaluation
● Interviewing local experts
● SWOT analysis
● U.S. labor trends
Business Services Offered

11. Hand-in-Scanhttp://www.handinscan.com/
Task: Industry research on U.S. hospital procurement
process, payment system, phone interviews with
hospital personnel procurement personnel.
Beeem https://beeem.co/
Task: User experience testing, website review, product
testing and feedback.
SBrick https://www.sbrick.com/
Task: Website feedback, competitive landscape
research (including 4 in-depth reports per week on,
pricing, industry and marketing.)
Client Companies

12. Be-novativehttps://www.be-novative.com/
Task: Labor market research on how to hire and and
recruit U.S. sales staff. Website feedback, marketing
strategy.
Eltechnikahttp://eltechnika.hu/
Task: Copy editing, translation assistance, website
review, social media strategy.
NowTechhttp://nowtech.hu/
Task: Coordinated in-person meeting with expert
during U.S. visit, brokering connection to U.S. military
hospitals, basic industry research.
Client Companies

13. Company Description:
SBrick sells Lego-like “bricks” that you can
place into LEGO® models to control them
remotely using a smart device. SBrick’s
products are marketed to adult gamers + kids
for educational purposes.
Request for Services:
● Understand market and competitors
● Understand market differentiator
● Website feedback
● Create relationship with Scratch from MIT
Example:

14. Competitive Analysis:
Created reports on 4 competitors in
Educational Technology Market and “Lego”
Competitors.
Refined Product Explanation:
Provided new ways for company to explain
product features to non-tech customers, i.e.
teachers and parents.
Market Research:
Leveraged University databases to research
Ed Tech market and investment trends.
SWOT Analysis:
Analyzed Strengths, Weakness,
Opportunities and Threats.
What the CEI team did for SBrick:

15. Planned for Partnerships:
Created realistic plan for building relationships
with reputable U.S. institutions, especially STEM
schools in Connecticut
Identified “Influencers” in Ed Tech:
Discovered who the leading voices were in
industry publications and social media.
Website Feedback:
Conducted thorough audit of company website,
Amazon page, and Kickstarter
Results:
SBrick updated website, used student team’s research in proposal
for prestigious EU grant, and made changes to product descriptions.
What the CEI team did for SBrick:

16. Spring + Fall 2018
● Expand client base to Poland
● Recruit 1st yr. MBA students, longer
commitment
● Launch pilot project for Ed Tech company at
local school
Ongoing challenges:
● Maintain continuity of team and leadership
when university students graduate and
transition between semesters
● Effectively communicate U.S. business
landscape and culture to Central European
clients
Opportunities + Challenges

17. Thank you !
Gedeon Werner
Novak Family Polish Chair
Central European Institute
203-582-8737 (U.S. office)
gedeon.werner@qu.edu