Twelve Master of Science in Real Estate Management students from Dresden, Germany, just wrapped up a weeklong residency in Boise to learn about commercial real estate development in the United States. The third annual event was presented by Boise State’s Centre for Creativity & Innovation in the College of Business and Economics, in cooperation with the Europäisches Institut für postgraduate Bildung an der Technischen Universität Dresden e. V. — EIPOS.

The “Dresden to Boise” program primarily focused on commercial real estate projects and urban public-private ventures, but also exposed participants to resort and large-scale residential developments in the surrounding area. Program participants attended a Boise City Council meeting, a session at the WaterCooler business incubator and a number of workshops where they interacted with financial, development and marketing experts.

German MBA student Thomus Stoylce manages a shopping mall and was most interested in how American companies are handling the challenges associated with the recession. He also learned a good deal about how the U.S. nurtures entrepreneurs.

“It’s a really interesting experience to see how American business works,” said Sven Hartmann, program coordinator for the German university, adding that there are contrasts between business practices in the two countries but that much of what the German students learn is transferrable.

Nancy Napier, executive director of the Centre for Creativity and Innovation, said Boise State students and the larger community also benefit from the program. Students serve as hosts, allowing them to interact closely with their German counterparts, and local business and government leaders are exposed to European ideas and views.