Global Immersion: Business and Entrepreneurship in Tunisia

Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring, was a crossroads of many civilizations from its indigenous Berber population to the Phoenicians who founded Carthage in 814 BC, to the Romans who destroyed Carthage in 146 BC after three Punic wars, to the Arabs introducing Islam and Arabic in the 7th century, to the Turkish Ottomans who ruled Tunisia from 1574 to 1881, and more recently to the French who occupied Tunisia from 1881 to 1956. This melting pot of more than 3000-year history is what distinguishes Tunisia from other countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Because of its free trade agreements with Europe and several countries in Africa and the Middle East, Tunisia can potentially become a gateway to a market of more than a billion people. As Tunisia is still going through profound political changes following the initial upheaval of the Arab Spring in 2011, there are many questions that await. Will Tunisia transition to a stable democracy? Will it be able to create a business environment that is attractive to investors? If so, what investment opportunities exist in Tunisia? What are the risks involved and the future challenges? And, how best to enter such a market? The course will explore these questions with a focus on the entrepreneurship ecosystem and doing business in Tunisia. The course project involves working closely with start-ups from the region (Tunisia and Senegal). The project provides a truly immersive, multicultural experience where students will partner, mentor, coach, and interact with young entrepreneurs, both online and offline. Travel to Tunis will take place prior to the class meetings, October 13-19, 2024. A predeparture meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 24th, 12:30-2:00pm to prepare students for the pre travel assignment and week of travel. This class will follow the A term add/drop period. No program fee refunds will be given after the add/drop period has closed. Upon return from Tunisia, the class will meet for 6 weeks during the fall B term; students will continue to work on their projects during this time as well. The 2024-2025 Global Immersion Program mandatory fee for all classes is $2100 and provides students with double occupancy lodging, ground transportation and some meals. It does not cover roundtrip international airfare. Attendance both in New York and in-country and regular participation are a crucial part of the learning experience and as such attendance is mandatory. Students who miss the first class meeting may be removed from the course. No program fee refunds will be given after the add/drop period has closed. Please visit the Chazen Institute website to learn more about the Global Immersion Program, and visit the Global Immersion Policies page to review policies affecting these courses. Only second year students may participate in Global Immersion Program fall courses; please note exams scheduled during this week may be rescheduled and papers due during that week are expected to be turned in by their due date.