The World as a Living Economics Classroom: Lessons from ‘Economies in Transition’, a Faculty-Led Study Abroad Course in Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract

Teaching ‘Economies in Transition’ as a study abroad course is the most effective way to convey the role of ideas, institutions, culture, and leadership in the transition of former communist countries. We visited four representative countries in Central and Eastern Europe: Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania. This added travel component allowed us to immerse ourselves in the history, geography, culture, society, and economy of these countries. Students loved learning by ‘making the world their living economics classroom.’ This article presents the core planning process, how we dealt with the academic and implementation challenges, costs, and lessons learned from the experience. This article also presents the key principles that guided the development of our curriculum, activities, and assessment.