The John Cook School of Business at Saint Louis University (SLU) launched a new course in its Executive Education Program, offering a certificate in web globalization management. The 110-hour self-paced, online program was designed for both professionals and executives by SLU’s Dr. Nitish Singh. While a Google search on global MBA turns up a slew of business schools offering a global perspective, SLU’s new offering is a certificate that can be earned from anywhere, anytime. Several dozen learners have already departed on this voyage of discovery.

In 2005, we wrote about new university programs in translation and localization at Chico and Kent State. Austin Community College offers a technical certification program in localization/globalization (featuring our own Renato Beninatto as an occasional contributor). The Monterey Institute of International Studies offers professional graduate degrees with an international focus, including an MBA program in international business. Thunderbird’s executive certificate in international management can be completed online in three eight-week blocks: Global Management, Global Leadership, and Global Strategy Implementation. Plus, Thunderbird offers a similar certificate in international marketing. IESE in Barcelona and INSEAD in Paris and Singapore also offer a focus on business globalization.

The good news here is that SLU uses a rolling admissions policy so future globalistas can register any time, from anywhere, and complete the program online at their own pace — and, at US$2,800, it’s affordable. Current enrollees attend from Canada, Estonia, Germany, and Spain, as well as the U.S. Singh has based the course on six “global megatrends.” The curriculum seeks to give learners an understanding of the dynamics of global e-business, incorporating a mix of skills from international business, language technology, IT, marketing, management, e-business and intercultural communications, all centering around web globalization and hyperconnectivity in the networked economy.

Program modules include global business strategy for a networked economy, a localized approach to global e-business expansion, website globalization step by step, global content management and the future of web globalization, and corporate web management for a global workforce. Development partners enlisted to give the course real-world examples and relevance include Acclaro, Jonckers, Lionbridge, and other industry participants.

Higher education will play an important role in the ongoing professionalization of the localization discipline. Executive training programs that career professionals can engage in evenings and weekends make that promise more accessible.