Intensive Programme - Ethical Manager by Arsalan Uddin
The Programme and its Purpose
This was a 2 week intensive programme about Ethical Manager. It involved subjects such as
Leadership, CSR, Diversity, Business Ethics and much more. The purpose of this programme was to
integrate with our EU partners and learn from them as well as teach. It was to know what ethics are
to them and how they differ from country to country. We are the future, if we understand and apply
ethics into businesses, we can be good leaders. It made us realise how important diversity is and
taught us about the significance of globalisation which allows us to create a collaborative advantage.
The Students
The students were quite intellectual and knew what they were talking about. They all had very good
ideas and a good ethical vision. We were quite diverse as we were all from more than 7 different
countries as those representing certain countries were from other countries. For example, I, myself
am from Pakistan originally, we had Aija who was from Latvia and Paula from Lithuania and that’s
just within the Kingston group where we already had 4 different backgrounds.
We shared ideas and had discussions about the various subjects such as politics, economics
environment and much more. We discussed bout ethical leadership and how it was managed over in
Europe, and there were many cases of unethical leadership and corruption mainly with influential
personalities and politicians.
There was a presentation which consisted of examples of good leaders and bad leaders from our
countries. We had to explain who they were, what they did and why they were good or bad. The
students were enthusiastic and were able to deliver outstanding presentations.
The Teachers
Some teachers were really enthusiastic and wanted to teach as well as learn from others. They were
quite dynamic and their teaching methods were very interactive which made the whole class get
involved and feel part of it. The group work was a brilliant idea as it allowed us to come together as a
team to achieve a common goal but most of all to know each other and have open discussions. The
teachers were quite engaging with the students even after school hours which are good as more
learning and teaching can take place. This could lead to great opportunities and it’s in the comfort
zone of both parties.
Different methods and styles of teaching were also great. Some teachers were fast paced and
focused more on telling and explaining rather than asking which is also good. Other teachers chose
to do group exercises which engaged all of us and made us do presentations which meant we can
present to our class know them better and not be shy. Also one gave a week long assignment
meaning we had to meet with the group outside of school hours to get it down which is another
great way of engagement. Also the decision of having breaks every now and then was also excellent
as the students can’t sit there and listen for too long. They start to fade away.
The School
EMN in my opinion is a very nice school. They have good resources and classrooms with up to date
technology to enhance learning experiences. They also have vending machines that provide
beverages and food for refreshment. To top it all have, they have musical instruments and snooker
tables along with table tennis and much more. I believe these encourage the students stay within
the school and it’s great to freshen yourself after an hour of lecture during the break. Students
become more motivated and feel alive and awake.
The residence
We arrived at the residence at 1 pm after walking around Le Havre endlessly. We were given keys to
our rooms which were very good as we could drop out luggage and rest but it came with a surprise.
The room was small and I had to share with a bunk bed as if I was 12 years old again sharing a room
with my brother. What made it worst was there was no toilet seat on the toilet due to “Security and
Hygienic” reasons. However, as time progressed, these issues did not matter. There was breakfast
provided which was a bonus as I did not expect it to be provide nor was it mentioned.
The Place
When I first arrived at Le Havre, it somewhat shocked me. We arrived on a Sunday where pretty
much most shops are closed. It felt like a ghost time as if there was no one around. But as time
progressed it was becoming a really good place. The church of Saint Joseph became our central hub
of navigation as we knew our way around from there. The school and the residence were quite close
literally 5 minute walk and supermarkets were very close too. Once we got to know the place, it
started to feel like home.
Social Activities
We found Le Havre boring at first but that changed as we began to explore and discover new places
within it. There was a beach which was very nice and couple of social clubs which closed quite early.
The students gathered together and came up with social activities such as movie nights, parties,
football, volleyball etc... These team sports brought us closer in a fun, interactive and dynamic way.
Also no internet connection after 11PM meant that we were together not locked in our rooms. We
kept in close contact with each other and utilise emails and social media to spread messages and we
still continue to use this as our mode of communication. We had a fun time watching the Euro FIFA
finals and the Gala dinner where the teachers were having fun and socialising too.
The outcome
I believe these short IP are very educational and enhancing. They give such great insight in such
short time and it is a great experience. All the students I have spoken to really enjoyed the stay and
have learnt so much about so many different things such as the country, economics, politics, ethics,
environment etc… The students are themselves planning another IP by travelling to London, some of
whom I have spoken to coming very soon in August and September in fact. I believe if we can be
provided with another IP here in Kingston, it would be a great opportunity for great ideas to emerge.
I thank everyone, the students, the lecturers, the mentors, the organisers and whoever was involved
in making this IP happen. I look forward for another one.