The Curriculum of the Integrated Business Faculty -IBF is drafted following the modeled integrated business curriculum-IBC (Integrated Business Curriculum-IBC), taught at the University of Idaho (University of Idaho-UI), United States. This unique undergraduate curricula, designed and developed in the U.S. over the past fifteen years, in 2003 received an award for its innovative and creative approach to business education[i].
There are four basic features that make the IBC Innovative:2. Throughout the whole course students there is work in teams to learn and practice the skills of teamwork which in today's environment are becoming crucial to the survival of firms. Thus they realize how different functional areas can better work, and how they can realize synergistic positive and / or negative effects, influencing each other. The next figure (Figure 2), presents an example of structure of management-level issues facing any entrepreneur:
Figure 2: Presentation of the curricula of the Integrated Business Faculty (IBF)
This is the model of holistic analysis that is taught to the students in the IBC program. A graduate student in IBF, after successfully completing studies and achieving undergraduate education, will have all the economic knowledge of the chosen direction (financial management, marketing management and sustainable development), and he/she will also have a knowledge and competence of the other operational aspects of conducting a business, and the "development of instincts" for ethical use of all means necessary to deal with business problems. The businessman, who must "do everything" when starting new ventures, must be well prepared after graduation in Business Economics.The basic concept of integrated business education, during its application since the establishment of the Integrated Business Faculty in 2006, was further developed and upgraded by implementing the same approach of interactivity in all scientific disciplines. Namely, in addition to integrated business modules (IBC-1 and IBC-2)[ii], teaching activities for each subject provide interactive instruction through various research activities of students in the field, for the respective thematic areas grouped in 3-4 complex topics, during each semester. Thus, team learning in the areas of finance, management, marketing, information systems, international business, quantitative analysis, economics and accounting, etc.. is accomplished through mastering the basic methodology of research in the field and in all available media (Internet, periodicals, literature, etc.).
This approach allows us to put emphasis on team work, practical experience and understanding of business systems, production planning and various business processes, decision making, managing resources and firm decisions on the operation of the business etc.., Enabling students to practical application of theoretical knowledge they acquired during their studies.
In the interactive approach in teaching, IBF for its students organizes monthly summer practice in various enterprises (banks, IT, pharmaceutical and steel industry, NGOs, state administration and local government, etc.).
Actually, the fact that 80% of our graduates are employed, speaks for the uniqueness of selected integrated approach that we apply in business education and its superiority over the so-called, "classic" studies of economics at other universities in the country and region.
[i] MOSCOW – The college of business and Economy of UI, with 1300 students, 40 regular faculties, small groups, new high technology capacities and innovative curriculum was awarded the Prize for Innovative and Creative Education by the International Academy of Leadership in Education.
[ii] More detailed description of IBC-1 and IBC-2 moduli can be found in the part Integrated approach
Integrated Business Faculty
Str. "3-ta Makedonska Brigada" no. 66A - Floor 1, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia; tel. 389 2 402160, 2402161; 2460140 fax: 389 2 2466043
fbe@fbe.edu.mk - www.fbe.edu.mk