Faculty of Business and Law

International Centre for Transformational Entrepreneurship

Image: Screenshot during the project

Academic Year: 2020-21

Project Leader: Kemi Chukwuma-Nwuba

Partner University(s)/Organisation(s):

The University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland

Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (the Netherlands)

Project Overview:

This project provides students with the opportunity to encourage the growth of their network. The online programme will include activities such as sharing personal/professional development as introverts or extroverts; some cultural issues to note in networking and how to successfully network for business and career purposes. Additionally, students will collaboratively work on improving their online credibility, visibility, social capital and brand building on LinkedIn in particular, as well as learn the etiquettes of other cultures which are important for successful personal and professional relationships. The project also involves a documentation of their reflective practices after each meeting.

The Business and Interpersonal Skills (BIS) project is our first COIL on the Developing Business Networking and Relationship Skills (A251IAE) module which is an Add+vantage. It is also the first COIL in ICTE’s (International Centre for Transformational Entrepreneurship) Add+vantage modules.

Despite the fact that the participants were at different levels of education (year 2 and 3 while also being on different programme studies) it was possible to design the programme to suit all the participants. This shows the malleability of
COIL. The adoption of this teaching/learning approach in this lockdown era,
made it possible for participants to engage, study and learn in a virtual
international environment. Despite the over one hundred participants across the
three universities, we were able to manage the project successfully by
leveraging technology, and social media platforms to enrich our students’
knowledge.

Statement from a student who took part:

The COIL project has helped me find new ways to introduce my personal
brand to different people from different countries. I was able to interact with
people from different cultures and different interests easily through this project.
My idea of networking has evolved because of this project as well. It has also
helped me make new friends.