Over the summer of 2021, Harvard Business School Online students partnered with United Planet to take part in an Annual Community Challenge with the mission of creating a more connected and global community. Harvard Business School Online has educated over 100,000 learners from more than 175 countries. HBS chapters from Bogotá, Istanbul, Philadelphia, New Delhi, Tokyo, and the Global Chapter participated in the Annual Community Challenge. Each chapter was tasked with researching and problem solving how to improve and expand United Planet’s Virtual Exchange Program and Unite All Schools platform through designing business plans and submitting proposals with their ideas.
After reviewing each Chapters tremendous work, United Planet had the difficult position of choosing a single winner. In the end, The Tokyo Chapter led by Emi Shitara was selected as the winning chapter closely followed by the runner-up, Istanbul Chapter. The Tokyo Chapter’s plan for United Planet consisted of problem-solving ways to expand partnership and engagement within Japan and other Asian countries. The 93 page proposal also included many keen strategic and technology recommendations. Sunny Ng, Amber Cher, and Captain Animesh Hore provided strategic recommendations on a multi-year strategic plan and the development of a global ambassador model. Through this experience, the HBS Online Tokyo Chapter established connections with the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to implement United Planet programs in the Asia Pacific Region. The extensive research conducted and actionable steps created by the Tokyo Chapter have inspired United Planet to broaden their range of Asian programs.
Since the culmination of the Annual Community Challenge, United Planet has taken strides towards the goal of expanding programming in Japan and throughout Asia. One key step United Planet has taken is welcoming Emi Shitara as a new International Board of Advisors member. HBS Online Tokyo Chapter and United Planet have been invited by the United Nations ITU Agency to provide training in leadership for digital transformation at ITU’s upcoming conference in 2022. HBS Online Tokyo Chapter members continue to support strategies and network-building on behalf of the organization.
The Istanbul chapter including Tomasso Padula and Asiye Cerkezoglu have been instrumental in delivering key school partners to expand United Planet’s Virtual Classroom to Classroom Exchange program. As a result, United Planet was able to submit a U.S. Embassy grant proposal on February 4th, 2022 to include two underserved middle and high school classrooms from rural areas of Turkey. We look forward to a long and rewarding partnership that will extend into new and innovative programs. Professor Donna Lubrano commented on Istanbul’s commitment to their chapter goals, “Istanbul has been instrumental in following up on the leads that they committed to inside their presentation. Tomasso Padula and Asiye Cerkezoglu have been extraordinary in giving their time and energy to help expand these programs”.
Harvard Business School Online Colombia Chapter, including Andrea Freire Knuth and Rosario Ariza Garcia, is currently conducting an overall technology assessment of United Planet to support the growth of programs across the organization. The results of this analysis will be instrumental in building a streamlined recruitment strategy to ensure a greater participation globally.
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers volunteer abroad, virtual internships, internships abroad, gap year volunteering, and global virtual exchange in more than 40 countries.
United Planet is an international non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. We connect people who want to make a difference in communities across the world through overseas volunteer travel programs, global virtual internships & volunteering, and project-based virtual exchange programs. With opportunities in more than 40 countries, you will learn, teach, work, engage and immerse yourself in a culture outside your comfort zone. For many, volunteering abroad is the most fulfilling experience of their lives!
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