[00:00.00]NARRATOR: Listen to a conversation between a student and her economics professor.
[00:05.86]MALE PROFESSOR: Excellent presentation you made at the end of class yesterday!
[00:09.40]FEMALE STUDENT: Oh, thanks!
[00:10.87]MALE PROFESSOR: I'm so glad you volunteered to present first. [00:13.75]Starting out by outlining what you were going to say, then, at the end, summarizing the key points—[00:19.64]it was a very effective way of getting your points across.
[00:22.26]FEMALE STUDENT: I'm glad you think so. [00:23.51]I was afraid it might come across as… too formal.
[00:26.85]MALE PROFESSOR: Not at all. In fact, I think it's a great approach, in general, for these presentations, [00:32.41]so I hope the others were taking note. And the economic model you discussed—build-operate-transfer—[00:38.45]I think everyone was quite interested.
[00:40.70]FEMALE STUDENT: Yeah, it makes so much sense. [00:42.60]If governments allow private companies to build public works, like a power plant, and then operate it for a decade or two before transferring ownership to the government, everyone benefits.
[00:53.11]MALE PROFESSOR: Yes, the private companies make a profit, [00:55.51]the public gets a needed infrastructure.
[00:57.76]FEMALE STUDENT: And all without the government having to spend any money up front. Which is amazing.
[01:02.54]MALE PROFESSOR: Right.
[01:03.29]FEMALE STUDENT: Anyway… as I said in my presentation, this model's being used in Turkey right now, and you said, when you handed out that brochure in class last week—about the university's Global Enrichment Initiative, [01:14.48]you said one of the countries involved in that is Turkey.
[01:17.66]MALE PROFESSOR: Yes, that’s right.
[01:19.25]FEMALE STUDENT: So, I wanted to see if there's a chance… uh, the university sends fifteen students overseas to study?
[01:27.01]MALE PROFESSOR: Fifteen students per country—fifteen for Turkey, fifteen for Brazil, fifteen for Russia…[01:32.50]We’ve got a total of six countries participating next summer.
[01:35.25]FEMALE STUDENT: Oh!
[01:35.92]MALE PROFESSOR: Yeah, and you spend six weeks in whichever country you’re selected for. [01:39.72]The classroom component consists of seminars on that country's culture, politics, and economy. [01:45.53]Most sessions are taught in English by local professors, [01:48.65]but two of our faculty accompany each group and also give seminars. [01:53.01]I'll be going to Brazil to teach a seminar on coffee next summer.
[01:56.40]FEMALE STUDENT: But you're an economist!
[01:58.98]MALE PROFESSOR: Coffee’s played a central role in Brazil's economic development for over 200 years. [02:04.11]About a third of the coffee consumed worldwide is produced in Brazil.
[02:08.37]FEMALE STUDENT: Oh, I had no idea. [02:09.93]Hmm. So, if I applied… I mean, can students pick the country they wanna go to? 'Cause if I could go to Turkey…
[02:18.40]MALE PROFESSOR: Well, the primary goal of the Global Enrichment Initiative is simply cultural exchange…[02:24.77]so students who’ve never been overseas before can broaden their perspective. [02:29.97]This is why, on the application, you’re asked to indicate your first-, second-, and third-choice countries.
[02:35.45]FEMALE STUDENT: I’m only interested in Turkey, though. [02:37.99]I'm studying both Turkish and Turkish history this term.
[02:41.20]MALE PROFESSOR: I see.
[02:41.98]FEMALE STUDENT: And, maybe I could learn more about how they're implementing the build-operate-transfer model there. [02:47.76]Plus, I wouldn't wanna take a spot away from someone who really wanted to go to one of the other countries.
[02:53.38]MALE PROFESSOR:Well, I guess you could leave the second and third choices blank…