August 19-25, 2012

The VT Knowledge Works Global Partnership Week offers university students, faculty, and business professionals from all over the world a chance to collaborate, form partnerships and interact on a completely unique and exciting level in Blacksburg and Roanoke, Virginia, USA.  The Global Partnership is an ongoing cooperative association of regions building permanent social, academic, and commercial relationships with each other, for mutual long-term advantage. Members of the partnership gather annually during a week-long Global Partnership event hosted by VT KnowledgeWorks, Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, Virginia Tech, and the citizens and businesses of the two rivers region of southwestern Virginia, USA.

A Donation Campaign for the VT KnowledgeWorks Global Partnership Week has recently been launched so local and regional supporters can help financially support the global students that visit the Roanoke-Blacksburg region for a week-long, expense-paid celebration.  Visit the link to learn more about this campaign and as a small token of appreciation, you will receive complimentary tickets to the Tastes and Sounds of the Valleys Reception at the Hotel Roanoke on August 22, 2012 to welcome our global guests to the region and enjoy food and music unique to our area.

Residents of the New River and Roanoke Valleys are invited to attend:

1.  Tastes and Sounds of the Valleys Reception, Wednesday, August 22, 2012 5:30 - 8:00 p.m., Hotel Roanoke

Help introduce our Valleys to the world, as we celebrate our growing place in the global community! Please join us as we welcome international visitors of the Global Partnership Week with unique food and music special to our region. Register here.

2.  Global Student Business Concept Challenge, Thursday, August 23, 2012 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Hotel Roanoke

Global student teams present their business concepts and compete for a $25,000 grand prize and trophy. Each of the top two runner-up teams will receive $5,000 cash awards.  Admission is FREE but please register in advance, since space is limited.

Two concurrent tracks will be offered for global participants during the week-long celebration:

1.  Student Track - The VT KnowledgeWorks Global Student Business Concept Challenge.

The VT KnowledgeWorks Global Student Business Concept Challenge celebrates the energy and ingenuity of university students and their important contributions to the global economy.  Elite student teams from all over the world compete for the $25,000 grand prize and the VT KnowledgeWorks Global Challenge Trophy.  The contest finals are part of a week-long celebration where students are housed with local families, spend interactive time with successful technology companies, and enjoy fellowship with each other and with Virginia Tech students during festive meals and celebrations.

The 2011 Global Student Business Concept Challenge winners were Guillermo Vargas Keith, Matias Rojas, Andrés Testón, and Mauricio Ulloa of team Kimeltu representing Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in Santiago, Chile.  Read about the winners here. 

2.  University Track - The global university-to-university relationship roundtable, hosted by Virginia Tech.

Many major universities are active globally through student and faculty exchanges, research partnerships, and “outpost” campuses.  Not so common, however, are permanent cooperative networks.  This annual roundtable explores and facilitates multi-university cooperative arrangements to exchange best practices for mutual benefit, with particular emphasis on fostering commercialization of innovative technologies.

View the event highlights from the 2011 Global Partnership Week.