2020 at ISP: A pivotal year of learning and discovery
It’s quite remarkable to think about the changes ISP has gone through in the past 12 months. As yearly journals go, ours is quite an adventure, so we thought it might be an insightful exercise to share some key moments and events from a whirlwind year.
January - With 120 programs confirmed from January to June 2020 we delivered our ‘Trends in 2020’ forecast, excited about the adventures that lay ahead. If only we’d known what was hiding around the corner. COVID-19 unfortunately started to hit the globe and we relocated the first round of affected trips from Taiwan to South Korea as other clients were forced to postpone their trips to Asia. Just a few weeks later, we had to postpone all of 2020’s on-the-ground programs.
February - Some positive news amidst the mayhem, we signed a cooperation agreement with the Czech Economics University (VSE) to further advance their Executive Education Program. To be frank, the rest of the month was panic mode, nobody knew what the heck was going on. Breathe in, breathe out…. and repeat.
March - We brought forward the establishment of ISP Digital, an online initiative that had been in the pipeline for a while. As the world moved online, it became the ideal time to kick off these exciting products.
April -We launched the first of our online products in the form of virtual visits & Online Consulting Projects and ran the first-ever online program for Durham University, with exceptional feedback to boot. One student even stated…
“I used all of the knowledge that I gained to perform well in my job interviews and secured a job offer shortly after the trip”
May - Online product #2 went live. We launched four new topical Online Study Programs, the flagship programs being Smart Europe (plus Israel) and the topically titled “Embracing the New Normal”.
June - What a month! We started by launching a new branch – The Global Exec., connecting corporations & universities through global hackathons & experiential learning projects. We also announced online product #3, Flexible Study Trips. Programs with more favourable cancelation policies and backup online options, in case travel was once again halted.
July - Another milestone as ISP was divided into three product sections: Educational Travel, Online Education and the newly-launched The Global Exec. This was a crucial step in boosting the future development of these segments.
August - We continued our efforts in mastering the art of online education, running virtual trips for Saint Mary’s University in Canada, Belmont University, Rotterdam School of Management and Darden School of Business.
September -Online product #4. Together with QED Group and Sociomapping we launched The Global Exec.’s Hack the Future program helping companies to accelerate organisational change and future-proof their business.
October - For one full week, we halted our daily tasks and the entirety of the company participated in the ISP Innovation Challenge 2020 hackathon. After five exhausting days of hacking, the teams delivered eight fantastic new product concepts that may well shape ISP in the upcoming years.
November - The Global Exec. hosted a far-reaching, global open innovation challenge. Twenty-four teams of high-school students from Saudi Arabia, the US, Egypt, India, China and the UK, delivered intriguing solutions to long-term sustainability issues facing the development of a new megacity in the Middle East. The winning team from Connecticut, will develop their idea in cooperation with Agritechture. And in 2021, they’ll get the chance to visit Saudi Arabia and assess the feasibility of their solution.
December - From September to December, an ever-growing pool of universities took part in our Online Consulting Projects & Online Study Trips including Auburn University, the University of California Irvine, Ashland University, the University of Akron, the University of Buffalo and the University of Economics in Prague. With plenty more to come in 2021!
It was quite a year and we’re proud to have transformed ISP into a center for experiential learning, none of which would have been possible without our incredible team, our loyal clients and friends who stood by us during the toughest of times. You gave us the energy and drive to keep exploring innovative ways to educate and inspire, allowing us to continue doing what we love. Fingers crossed for a slightly more hassle-free and exceptionally prosperous 2021 for you all.
TOMAS CHALUPNIK
CEO
International Study Programs & The Global Exec.
