The EADA-Residential Training Centre has definitely been one of the best experiences (and challenges) I faced, not only in the Master, but in my life. One of the main reasons I applied for a Master programme in EADA was because of the school’s emphasis on the development of soft skills.
In the EADA-Residential Training Centre, we took part in four modules in which the whole International Master in Finance class went to the peaceful natural landscape surrounding Montserrat. During the modules, our tutors encouraged and inspired us to get out of the routine of daily life. We did activities that we would never have never thought of ourselves, activities that helped us develop as people. I won’t be able to describe each and every module in detail, and they really must be experienced rather than read about anyway, but I can try.
The beginning
It all started when I was asked to write a personal development plan. This was the first challenge, as I didn’t understand its importance in the beginning. However, the personal development plan turned out to be crucial in the fourth module, when we had to reflect on how we had worked on our plan during the nine months.
The four modules focused on these areas:
- Team work and cultural diversity
The first module, which took place during the first two weeks of the programme, was essential for getting to know my classmates. In this module, we laid the groundwork for working in teams with different types of people, paving the way for mutual understanding and harmonious group work later in the programme. This module was particularly important because of the remarkable student diversity in EADA, with students coming from different nationalities, undergraduate studies and geographical areas.
- Communication skills
During the second module, we had the opportunity to focus on many areas of communication. Most importantly, we worked on our presentation skills. We learned how to prepare for a presentation, how to employ our nonverbal communications skills to affect others, and what techniques to use with different types of audiences.
- Negotiation skills
Throughout this module, we learned different strategies to prepare for a negotiation, in addition to tools to get ahead of the counterparty. The module was a mix of theoretical and practical approaches, during which we negotiated with classmates about real-life situations, and finishing with an analysis of the outcomes.
- Leadership skills
Our last module tackled an important topic: effective leadership. We learned how to select the best technique for the diverse members of a team in a business environment. We also looked at how to achieve the best outcome from a team that might not be in the best shape.
The modules at the EADA-Residential Training Centre have given me the guidance and foundation to further develop the soft skills that I am sure will be essential to reaching my future career goals.
Article written by International Master in Finance student Marwan Auda.