Penn GSE offers professional development opportunities for international leaders in the fields of education and business. Founded on the belief that education is the key to economic growth, programs aim to help educators and managers prepare to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Programs are customized to meet the needs of participants, range in length from two to seven weeks, and are based on the Penn campus in Philadelphia. A city rich in history, Philadelphia is conveniently located, offering participants easy access to educational and cultural sites in other U.S. cities.

Penn-ICBC Program Executive Exchange Program: The Penn - ICBC Executive Exchange Program is being sponsored by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. The goals of the program are to familiarize the participants with the U.S. banking systems, including management, marketing, strategic planning, and customer service; to facilitate communication between members of the Chinese banking community and their American counterparts; and to introduce the participants to the nuances of American business culture.

Higher Education Management Training Program (NAEA): With support from Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, Penn GSE offers a four-week program for Chinese higher education administrators. Higher education professionals sent by China's Ministry of Education learn new approaches to university management, in the context of China's transforming economy. This program recently expanded its focus beyond financial management to include topics such as managing curriculum development and managing research.

China Pension Project: The China Pension Program, sponsored by Morgan Stanley, is a collaborative effort between the University of Pennsylvania and the Development Research Center of the State Council of China (DRC). The program's aim is to help the DRC establish some type of universal pension system within China. A massive undertaking, the DRC delegation spent several weeks at Penn in July 2001, sitting in on lectures with experts and visiting the Social Security Administration and various other offices in D.C.

Penn GSE-CIGNA Training Program: Since 1996, Penn GSE and the CIGNA Corporation have collaborated to offer a training program for Chinese executives. The program focuses on improving participants' knowledge of economics, English, and American culture. Emphasis is placed on American business practices, with a specific focus on the U.S. insurance system.

GSE - Lucent Program: In February, 2001 Lucent Technologies sponsored a program to bring 15 Chinese telecommunications managers to the University of Pennsylvania to receive management training and learn the U.S. style of successful business operations. The managers, identified as future leaders, came from a variety of provincial telecom companies.

Jiangsu Executive Management Training Program: A collaborative effort with Penn's Wharton Executive Education Division, this program offers officials from China's Jiangsu Province an opportunity to learn innovative approaches to management for the 21st century. Courses address topics such as accounting, finance, business law, economics, organizational effectiveness, human resource management, and economic development.

Benjamin Franklin International Science Teachers' Program: This program familiarizes international science educators with the latest developments in the methodology and technology of science.