The U.S. Department of Education has renewed funding for a Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) in UConn's School of Business Administration, one of only 28 universities in the country and the only New England university to receive the designation.

The education department and Connecticut's congressional delegation announced the $660,000 grant earlier this month. The amount, payable in three annual installments, surpasses the funding in UConn's original grant, which was worth $400,000. That award was made in 1995.

"This is a tremendous achievement," said Thomas G. Gutteridge, dean of the business school. "During the first CIBER round of three years, we put UConn and its business school on the map in terms of global technological competitiveness, and our accomplishments received strong accolades from the external reviewers" who decided which universities to fund.

"Understanding that high technology development is a requisite for the economic future of the United States, to effectively compete in these global markets, the U.S. must put educational resources behind them," says Subhash Jain, a professor of marketing and director of CIBER.

The grant will help faculty and staff enhance the school's academic programs, business outreach and academic research in the area of global technology. During the first round, the school developed an MBA concentration in global technology management and created a variety of certificate programs in global business and high technology. Business outreach initiatives included training programs, information and research services on issues related to global technology management, and seminars and workshops that helped state businesses increase their global technological competitiveness.

Richard Veilleux