Proficient foreign language skills offer competitive advantages and enable better relationships with international clients and partners. By speaking the language, business professionals gain a unique understanding of cultural and social nuances critical to their success in global markets. IU CIBER and the Institute for International Business recognize the importance of language study for students, and also the study of business concepts by language instructors through continuing development opportunities. Beyond the programs we offer, the CIBER network administers a broad portfolio of resources, workshops, conferences, and other programs to promote and strengthen the study of business language.

The IU CIBER Language and Culture Series on the Kelley International YouTube channel offers introductory modules on various foreign languages and their corresponding cultures. These video resources are designed to provide a foundational understanding of key international business markets. The series covers a diverse range of regions, featuring languages such as Arabic, Thai, Ukrainian, Croatian, Polish, and Yoruba. Each segment focuses on introducing the language's alphabet and fundamental sounds alongside essential cultural information. This content is a valuable, quick-start resource for business professionals and students seeking to prepare for global engagement.

The Business Language Research and Teaching grants were established in 2010 by a consortium of 13 Centers for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) who pledged a portion of their Title VI funding from the US Department of Education to encourage faculty and graduate students in foreign language departments to add a business language dimension to their teaching and research. During the 2022–2026 grant cycle, all 16 CIBERs continued support of this important initiative with competitions in 2023 and 2025.

In 2025, two $4,000 and one $5,000 awards were awarded to research or teaching projects in foreign languages (excluding ESL and ASL). The 2025 BLRT recipients will present their research findings at the spring 2026 International Symposium on Language for Specific Purposes to be hosted by Wake Forest University. Recipients will also receive a travel stipend of up to $1,000 to cover costs associated with presenting at this conference. Recipients will also contribute a write-up on their BLRT project for publication in the Global Business Language Journal.

2025 award recipients

Mathias Schulze, from San Diego State University, for Exploring Language Needs in International Business Concepts

Kazeem Sanuth, from Indiana University, for Investigating Business Language Practices in Yoruba: Towards a Culturally Grounded Business Language Curriculum

Linxi Zhang, Ana Flavia Boeing Marcelino, Colin Benert, Xiaorong Wang, Julie Matsubara, and Sylvie Goutas, from University of Chicago, for Enhancing Business Language Education through Domain Analysis: Addressing Global Workplace Needs

The CIBER network is pleased to serve as a sponsor of the ISLSP/CIBER Conference | Wake Forest University. The biennial event provides an opportunity for educators, scholars, publishers, language policy makers, and leaders worldwide to discuss language education. The conference enhances US business competitiveness globally by linking the human capital and information needs of the US business community with the international education, language training, and research capacity of US universities.

Indiana University’s College of Arts and Sciences offers courses in more than 70 foreign languages, including some that aren’t taught at any other American university.