Hitotsubashi University and the Bergé International Talent Program

Hitotsubashi University has partnered with the multi-national Bergé company in Spain to provide 5-week internships at its headquarters in Madrid. The students receive pre-departure programming, take a course on management while in Spain, intern in different divisions of the program, and write a reflective report when they return.

Read the Student Reflection Booklet »

Hitotsubashi University students at the Bergé headquarters in Madrid
Photo courtesy of Center for Global Education, Hitotsubashi University

“…such an experience not only offers you an opportunity to put your knowledge into practice but also helps you to deeply un­derstand cultures, customs and ways of thinking in [the] country!”
— Reflection by Hitotsubashi University student Momoko Arai

The Company

Bergé y Cía was established in Bilbao in 1870 as a shipbroker and stevedoring company. Between 1940 and 1960 the company established a nationwide net­work, opening offices at principal ports in Spain. In the 1980’s it began to diversify with the importa­tion of industrial equipment and the establishment of automotive distribution companies. Since then, the group has expanded into new areas such as lo­gistics, energy, new technologies and finance. Cur­rently, the group employs more than 3,000 people and operates in more than 11 countries.

Goals of the Internship Program

Students are expected to:

• broaden their perspectives
• increase their ability to bridge differences
• learn to operate at their highest capacity in unfamiliar settings

Structure of the Program

• Pre-departure programming at Hitotsubashi University
• Five-week residence in Madrid, during February and March
  • 5-6 hours of internship work each day
  • 5 hour course on Management each week
  • 3 hours of Spanish instruction each week
  • Cultural tours and events on weekends
  • Ends with performance evaluation by Bergé supervisors
• Re-entry debriefing session at Hitotsubashi University
• Students write reflections and receive grades

Sample Internship Activities

• Systems Department: upgraded computer inventory for the company and conducted comparative study of the operations and structures and those at similar companies in Japan
• IT Department: analyzed economic data from invoices and gave presentations on the results
• Legal Department: examined and analyzed legal documents such as purchase agreements, MOUs, and leases
• Finance Department: formulated data for financial statements by analyzing balance sheets
• Operations Department of the Shipping Division: managed the data base