Subject knowledge and clear teaching
We look for professors who know their field and can make it understandable, with clear explanations, useful feedback, and room for your questions.
Faculty-led study abroad
Faculty and Academic Leadership
Study with professors who bring subject knowledge, international experience, and a personal interest in teaching abroad. Through classes, conversations, and visits, they help you understand the places you’re studying in and the people who work and live there.
Our approach to teaching
What we look for in professors
Academic qualifications matter. So does the ability to help students ask better questions, understand unfamiliar settings, and take part in the conversation.
International experience
Experience studying, teaching, or working across countries helps professors explain how business and everyday life differ from one place to another.
An interest in learning with students
Teaching abroad means taking part in discussions and visits as well as leading classes. We look for professors who are curious about what students notice and willing to explore their questions.
Classes and visits
Prepare, ask questions, and discuss what you’ve seen
Before a professional or cultural visit, your professor helps you understand the setting and prepare questions. During the visit, you hear from people working there and gather your own observations.
Back in class, you compare what you noticed, discuss it with classmates, and use examples from the visit in your assignments. A conversation about a company’s decisions or a city’s history gives you something specific to examine alongside your readings.
Academic leadership
Meet Summit’s academic leadership
Brian Butler
Founder and Program Director
Summit Global Education
Brian Butler founded Summit Global Education in 2011 and develops multi-city, faculty-led study abroad programs that combine academic coursework with guided travel, professional and cultural visits, and discussion. He holds an MBA with distinction from Thunderbird School of Global Management, where he later contributed to the Global MBA program in Miami in finance, economics, and global trade. His background also includes international markets, research, and cross-border collaboration.
- International education
- Global business
- Cross-cultural learning
- Faculty-led academic travel
Program history
Past Program Faculty
Meet some of the professors who have taught with Summit in Brazil and Europe. These profiles describe their experience and affiliations during those programs; they are not a roster for upcoming sessions.
Previous Brazil programs
Fernando Padovani
Past Program Faculty — Economics and International Relations
ESPM, São Paulo (during prior Summit programs)
Fernando Padovani taught on previous Summit programs in Brazil. His international experience included work with cooperation agencies across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. His academic background included graduate study in international economics and international relations, followed by postdoctoral research in New Delhi.
- International economics
- International relations
- International cooperation
Luciana Lage
Past Program Faculty — Portuguese Language
Portuguese language faculty (during prior Summit programs)
Luciana Lage taught Portuguese on previous Summit programs in Brazil. She founded Street Smart Brazil, an online Portuguese-learning platform, and her teaching experience included Portuguese courses at the University of California, Berkeley and FBV in Recife. Her academic background combines business administration and an MBA.
- Portuguese language instruction
- Cross-cultural learning
- Business education
Ricardo Gomes
Past Program Faculty — International Relations
ESPM, São Paulo (during prior Summit programs)
Ricardo Gomes taught on previous Summit programs in Brazil. His teaching background included international relations theory, international political economy, and modern and contemporary political theory. He studied social sciences at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and international relations at PUC-Rio.
- International relations
- International political economy
- Political theory
Previous Europe programs
Carlos Moslares García
Past Program Faculty — Economics and Finance
IQS School of Management, Barcelona (during prior Summit programs)
Carlos Moslares García taught on previous Summit programs in Europe through Summit's collaboration with IQS in Barcelona. His academic work has focused on economics, finance, and international business, supported by graduate study in economics in the United States and earlier study in Barcelona and Miami.
- Economics
- Finance
- International business
Jean-Philippe Charles
Past Program Faculty — Cross-Cultural Management
IQS, Barcelona (during prior Summit programs)
Jean-Philippe Charles taught on previous Summit programs in Europe through Summit's collaboration with IQS in Barcelona. His work as a cross-cultural management educator and consultant included university teaching and training for international organizations across several European countries.
- Cross-cultural management
- International business
- Organizational training
Questions about your professors
All Summit FAQsWho will teach my course?
Teaching assignments depend on your program, session, and course. Summit works with visiting professors and faculty from host universities. Contact us through Request Info for the confirmed teaching details for your session. Profiles labeled Past Program Faculty describe previous programs.
Do professors travel with the group?
Visiting professors may travel with students between cities, while host-university faculty contribute in their local setting. Each professor’s involvement depends on the program and teaching assignment. Summit staff travel and stay with the group throughout the program and provide day-to-day support.
How do professors use professional and cultural visits in their teaching?
Professors help you prepare questions before a visit, then lead discussions about what you observed. You use those observations alongside readings and classroom work in your assignments. The visits and coursework depend on your course and program.
What kind of support will students have abroad?
Summit staff travel and stay with the group, coordinate housing and travel between program cities, and provide on-site support day and night. Faculty guide coursework and academic visits. Health insurance is included for every student for the full program; staff help arrange medical care and accompany students when needed.
Explore the academic side of your program
Courses
Explore subjects, syllabi, and the courses available in each program.
University partners
Learn about UNYP in Prague, IQS in Barcelona, and ESPM in Brazil.
Professional and cultural visits
See how visits to businesses, institutions, and cultural sites contribute to your studies.
Credit transfer
Find the course and transcript information to review with your academic advisor.
Next step
What would you like to study?
Tell us about your academic interests and the program you have in mind. We’re happy to talk through courses, teaching, and your questions.