Global Business and Social Enterprise
in Bali
A Real-World Team Consulting Project and Balinese Heritage across Sanur and Ubud
Indonesia
Business
9 Days / 8 Nights
Sustainable Development Goals in Action
The Destination
Program Overview
This faculty-led study abroad in Bali centres on a real-world team consulting project for a local host organization, paired with Balinese Hindu heritage, over 9 days for business, management, and social-enterprise students based in Sanur and Ubud.
Indonesia is Southeast Asia's largest economy, and Bali brings together a vibrant local business scene with one of the world's richest living cultures. That combination makes the island an ideal setting for students to apply their business skills to a real challenge while immersing themselves in an unfamiliar market and culture. Few destinations pair hands-on professional work with cultural depth quite as naturally as Bali.
At the heart of this faculty-led program is an applied team consulting project: student teams work on a real-world business challenge for a local host organization, translating classroom frameworks into practical recommendations grounded in on-the-ground research. The project phase is complemented by rich cultural immersion, as students move from the coastal town of Sanur to the cultural heartland of Ubud.
Beyond the project, students explore Bali's Hindu temples and sacred springs, watch a traditional fire-and-dance performance, cycle through rice-paddy landscapes, and learn to cook Balinese dishes in a village setting. Through applied work, collaborative research, and reflective practice, they build strong skills in consulting, cross-cultural competency, problem-solving, and responsible global citizenship.
Ideal for students in Business, Management, and Social Enterprise — undergraduate and graduate students.
What You'll Do
Key Program Elements
Applied Team Consulting Project
- Work in teams on a real-world business challenge for a local host organization.
- Apply classroom frameworks to a live problem in an unfamiliar market and culture.
- Develop and present practical recommendations grounded in on-the-ground research.
- Experience the realities of doing business in a fast-growing Southeast Asian economy.
Balinese Culture and Heritage
- Explore the ancient Gunung Kawi temple complex, carved into a river-valley cliff.
- Visit the sacred Tirta Empul Holy Spring Temple, a living site of Balinese Hindu ritual.
- Experience a traditional Kecak fire-and-dance performance.
- Learn how Balinese Hindu traditions shape everyday life on the island.
Rural Bali and Local Life
- Cycle through rice paddies and rural Balinese landscapes.
- Share a sumptuous local meal at a traditional village compound.
- Take a hands-on Balinese cooking class.
- Connect with village life and Bali's warm hospitality.
Impact
UN Sustainable Development Goals in Action for this Program
SDG 4: Quality Education
- Delivers experiential, project-based learning through a live team consulting engagement.
- Builds problem-solving, teamwork, and cross-cultural skills beyond the classroom.
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Supports a local host organization through practical, student-led consulting work.
- Explores enterprise and economic life in a fast-growing Southeast Asian economy.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Engages Balinese heritage sites, temples, and village communities to understand cultural preservation.
- Connects business practice with the local communities and traditions that sustain them.
Beyond the Classroom
Program Highlights
Study Abroad in Bali
What You'll Take Home
Learning Outcomes
Applied Business Consulting
Apply business frameworks to a real-world challenge for a local host organization and deliver practical recommendations.
Cross-Cultural Competency
Work and collaborate effectively across cultures in an unfamiliar business and social context.
Global Business Perspective
Understand the realities of doing business and creating impact in a fast-growing Southeast Asian economy.
Cultural Understanding
Explore Balinese heritage, traditions, and community life, and reflect on their connection to business and society.
Day by Day
Sample Itinerary
Program services and inclusions are curated based on the faculty's learning objectives and may vary by cohort. The structure below is representative; the day numbers are approximate, and the specific project, sites, and free time may shift.
Arrival in Bali
Airport welcome and group transfer to the hotel in Sanur.
Team Consulting Project
Dedicated days for the team consulting project, working on a real-world business challenge for a local host organization.
Meals: BClosing Dinner
A final day of project work, capped by a group closing dinner at a beachside location.
Meals: B, DSanur to Ubud
Check-out and a guided visit to the ancient Gunung Kawi temple complex and the Tirta Empul Holy Spring Temple, a group lunch overlooking the rice paddies, and check-in at a hotel in Ubud, followed by a traditional Kecak fire-and-dance performance.
Meals: B, LRural Bali Adventure
A morning cycling tour through rural Balinese landscapes, a sumptuous local meal at a traditional village compound, and a hands-on Balinese cooking class followed by dinner.
Meals: B, L, DDeparture
Hotel check-out and transfer to the airport for onward travel.
Meals: BAt a Glance
Program Snapshot
Meals Included
Sustainability
On-Ground Support
Insurance
Investment
Pricing & Inclusions
Program Cost
From USD $1,250*
≈ AUD $1,750
per participant · twin-share basis
Per-participant pricing scales with group size. Pricing is quoted in USD; AUD amounts are indicative and based on current exchange rates.
Request a customized quote*Costs may vary depending on group size, program inclusions, number of program days, and other factors. Please contact us for a customized quote.
What's Included
- Accommodation for 8 nights on a bed and breakfast basis (Wi-Fi included), in hotels in Sanur and Ubud
- Private air-conditioned coach with an English-speaking guide for transfers and immersions
- Airport pickup and drop-off per participant flight schedules
- Group meals — 8 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners, including a beachside closing dinner
- Entrance fees for temple visits and a cultural performance
- A cycling tour and a hands-on Balinese cooking class
- Carbon offset for all program emissions
- 24x7 on-ground support by a dedicated Authentica Program Manager
- Tips for guides and drivers, and all taxes
Good to Know
FAQs About the Program
1. What is the best faculty-led study abroad program in Bali for business students?
"Global Business and Social Enterprise in Bali" is a 9-day faculty-led study abroad program for business, management, and social-enterprise students. Student teams work on a real-world consulting project for a local host organization in Bali, then immerse in Balinese culture through temple visits, a Kecak performance, rural cycling, and a cooking class across Sanur and Ubud.
2. When is the best time of year to run a study abroad program in Bali?
Bali's dry season, roughly April to October, offers the most comfortable weather for this program, with warm days and lower humidity; the program can be scheduled to fit your university's academic calendar. Bali is warm and tropical year-round, so lightweight clothing, sun protection, and an umbrella for occasional showers are recommended, along with modest attire, such as a sarong and covered shoulders, for temple visits.
3. Do students need a visa for Indonesia?
Visa requirements for Indonesia vary by nationality; many international students, including U.S. travellers, can obtain a visa on arrival or an e-visa for short stays. Requirements should be checked early. Authentica provides pre-departure guidance, though obtaining any required visa remains the participant's responsibility.
4. How is the program structured, and where does the group go?
The program pairs student teams with a local host organization for a hands-on consulting project, alongside guided visits to Balinese landmarks such as the Gunung Kawi temple complex and the Tirta Empul Holy Spring Temple. The group is based in Sanur and Ubud and travels by private air-conditioned coach with an English-speaking guide.
5. What is included in an Authentica faculty-led study abroad program?
An Authentica faculty-led program includes accommodation, private coach transport with a local guide, coordination of the consulting project and cultural experiences, group meals, entrance fees, carbon offset, and 24x7 on-ground support from a dedicated Authentica Program Manager. Faculty lead the academics while Authentica manages every logistical and safety detail.
6. What are the accommodations and meals like?
Students stay in centrally located hotels in Sanur and Ubud on a twin-share, bed and breakfast basis. The program includes 8 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners, including a beachside closing dinner, with vegetarian and other dietary preferences accommodated.
7. What should students know about money, cards and tipping?
The local currency is the Indonesian rupiah. Cards are accepted at hotels and larger establishments, though it is useful to carry cash for markets, villages, and smaller vendors. Tipping is appreciated but modest in Bali, and any tips for guides and drivers are included in the program.
8. Is Bali safe for university study abroad groups, and how is risk managed?
Bali is a popular, well-established destination for study abroad groups, with ordinary travel precautions the main consideration. Authentica provides 24x7 on-ground support through a dedicated Program Manager, an orientation and safety briefing, and a program-specific risk management plan, and carries USD 5M commercial general liability and USD 1M errors and omissions insurance.
Interested in a Similar Program?
Contact us at info@authentica.com to design a faculty-led immersion around your objectives.