Lecturer at University of East Anglia about the universal employability skills

Dr. Roger Baines is head of admissions of one of the faculties of the University of East Anglia talks about generic employability skills and their vital role in the career of the foreign students.

Comments alumna Yana Shmeleva, which now teaches English at Moscow State Linguistic University, help to understand the complexities commonly faced by Russian-speaking students who are first introduced to the concept of universal skills.

Dr. Roger Baines is a senior lecturer in the Department of languages and communication studies Faculty of political science, philosophy, languages and communication studies University of East Anglia (UEA). Leads courses on translation studies and French language. Is engaged in teaching and research activities for more than 20 years, most of which was devoted to the judiciary.

Who and what are generic employability skills?

Universal skills - the most important and extremely effective tool through which young professionals demonstrate their professional skills during employment and subsequently build a successful career. Their production is an integral part of programmes in all universities in the UK, and, of course, in the University of East Anglia is no exception.

Despite the fact that in the corporate culture of some countries - including Russia - on the universal skills, special emphasis is not done, their presence undoubtedly improves career prospects of students of any country in the world.

What is the generic employability skills?

Professionals leading recruitment Agency United Kingdom they say: "a Universal employment skills is a set of key skills that are applicable in various positions in various fields. Employers appreciate them as a confirmation of the possibility of rapid adaptation of the employee in the team and its potentially high contribution to the work of the enterprise. They also provide evidence of previous successful experience".

While globalization erases geographical and political borders, it does not negate the cultural and language differences. Therefore, understanding and practical skills of intercultural communication to help professionals in any industry operating on an international level.

The program of the University of East Anglia "MA in Global Intercultural Communication", Master of the world of intercultural communication, a deeper understanding of the processes occurring in the modern world, and the opportunity to successfully participate in the life of the international community in the future. Its graduates are in demand in multinational and international private companies and government organizations, including, and thanks to their acquired generic skills for employment.

What generic skills important to employers?

Students of the programme "MA in Global Intercultural Communication" not only study the features of interaction of representatives of different cultures, but at the same time actively develop universal communication skills necessary for employment.

The most important skills that students receive can be divided into several groups:

1. Communication skills include oral and poster presentations and preparation of written texts.

Performances and presentations taking into account characteristics of the audience

Whatever program modules "MA in Global Intercultural Communication" is not studied UEA students - whether "language, culture and thinking", "Practice of intercultural communications", "Influence discourse, New media and society" or "Conflict and intercultural communication" - they have a big and important experience in public speaking and presentations.

Subsequently, this allows them to successfully pass interviews, write and deliver presentations and reports in progress.

According to Jana, the UEA helped her to develop these necessary skills: "In Russia, in front of an audience are very different. At UEA I learned to cook focused on students presentations to properly address the audience and make your speech interesting."

Preparation of written texts

Another important communication skill is the ability to create logical, convincing written text, which corresponds to the interests of the audience and the conditions of receiving the text.

In UEA realize that education in different countries has its own characteristics, therefore, further introduced foreign students to the UK academic requirements.

Many of the modules include specific training on writing formal texts for different purposes. Ian, for example, specifically mentions the work of over writings: "We wrote a lot of essays, and it is very useful! In Russia essays are usually written differently, we often deviate from the main topic, but at the University of East Anglia I learned to write clearly on the case and to properly highlight conclusions."

2. Teamwork and leadership

The second group includes such skills as cooperation and teamwork with peers, work on common goals, accepting others and mutual understanding.

Of course, these skills are developed during the study of any graduate programs that involves the joint work of students on common projects and tasks. However, students in the programme MA in Global Intercultural Communication literally immersed in the atmosphere of constant cooperation.

Because students are representatives of different cultures, they quickly understand how they are different norms of behavior, beliefs and values. Ian notes: "I studied together with representatives of many different nationalities and cultures. I think it is much more difficult than working with their countrymen or with people speaking you language. Teachers gave assignments that we had to perform in . Sometimes it happened that the things that are obvious to me was not immediately obvious to others, and explaining their ideas, I learned a lot myself."

3. Management of personal resources and professionalism

A third group, generic skills include the ability to set goals and meet deadlines. Employers want their employees to possess these skills regardless of the scope of the company.

Ian commented: "the timing, I would like to draw special attention. In Russian universities do not usually have such strict deadlines for written work. While studying at UEA I learned to deliver work on time no matter what. Thanks to a strict deadline, I became more effective use of your time, and it helped me to act more effectively and in the workplace".

4. Solving problems

The fourth group universal skills, problem solving includes: defining the problem and its causes analysis of the facts and circumstances, the division of the problem into several sequential steps, the ability to take a new look at the issue and deal with setbacks.

Jan believes that she was able to improve all these skills during training in a magistracy of University of East Anglia. "I believe that through studying at UEA I have become more confident not only in terms of learning, but also in everyday life. To study in another country is not easy. I had to learn to look at a new perspective, what I really helped teachers. While living in another country has to solve many complex problems — to find the right place, talk to locals, etc. All this has made me more independent and helped me to learn to solve problems".

5. Civil awareness and respect

The fifth group of skills includes the universal understanding of the international environment, awareness of their own beliefs, norms and values, an understanding of the beliefs, norms and values of others, communication with colleagues from different cultures, understanding the importance of equality and cultural diversity, and awareness of the benefits of living in a country with a different culture.

Ian says: "of Course, when I met people from different parts of the world, I learned a lot about other cultures, beliefs, people and their way of life. At the same time, I have come to better understand their culture and way of life. It was an amazing feeling, I think I changed a lot while studying abroad. For me opened a whole world of other cultures and points of view."

British universities usually have a creative approach to create educational programs.For many programs, disciplines complement each other. Universities usually offer a variety of options proceeds, including direct admission and preparatory programs.

Due to such a variety graduates wide career opportunities in various industries. Generic employability skills are an integral part of all educational programs in the UK, because it is difficult to overestimate the benefits they offer to graduates, in whatever corner of the planet they did not work.

>> Learn more about the MA program Global Intercultural Communication

>> Program of the University of East Anglia