In November 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared July 15 as World Youth Skills Day, where they pointed out their concern about the high number of unemployed youngsters all over the world, estimated at 74.5 million in 2013 — most of whom live in developing nations.
Thus, it has become essential to provide students with a multidimensional education, so that the next generation of decision-makers clearly understand the complexities of public administration, foreign policy, economics and so on. While there is a clear need to study the theoretical framework, young people also need to learn how to implement and apply those theories in the real world.
The things you learn in university go far beyond what you’ll find in a textbook. We asked these college professors, and a few students, to tell us something about the skills that the youth needs to learn while earning their degrees.
Networking
Everyone knows that networking is important – it is probably one of the most essential and useful skills to have as an academic.
Students need to develop a positive attitude towards meeting potential contacts, even if they are shy and not naturally extroverted. “Regard networking very positively and be systematic in your approach to networking,” says Rajib Rahman, Professor of Marketing at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB). “Do your research and identify relevant people in your field who may be future collaborators or employers,” he added.
When asked about the ways of acquiring networking skills, Dr Md Osman Gani, Professor of Economics, said, “Students should attend the right conferences where they can present their posters, papers or talks. They should also consider using general professional networking sites, such as LinkedIn, to develop contacts with potential external collaborators. They may try to find events outside their universities to attend, which will help expand their networks. If they are members of a professional institution or scholarly association, taking an active role in local or regional meetings, special interest groups or conferences can be a great way to expand their connections.”Time management
Life at university is a crash course in efficient time management.
“If you want to succeed as an academic, and also have time for family, friends and personal interests, it is very important to be organised and highly disciplined, understand your priorities and ensure you carve out enough time for your own research,” said Raisa Ruzhan (22), currently studying Business Administration at the North South University (NSU).
“It takes hard work to earn your degree, but you can get through university with less stress if you stay organised, keep a schedule and remember to make time for family and the activities you enjoy,” added her friend, Lamisa Rahman.Presentation skills
“Presentation skills are essential both for teaching and for presenting at conferences. It is no longer acceptable to mumble through a conference paper. Rather, you need to present your work in a confident manner, making strong eye contact and articulating with a strong voice. Everyone can improve their presentation skills with some good training and practice,” says Tasneem Bareen Hasan, Professor of Economics and International Business at IUB.Navigating tough conversations
University life is filled with interactions with others, such as professors, team mates on a group project or a supervisor at an internship. Although everyone wants their communication with others to be pleasant, but disagreements or tricky situations are inevitable sometimes.
Ramisa Parvin (21), who is currently studying Economics at BRAC University, recalls a time when certain team members weren’t pulling their weight on a group project. “l had to find a way to have difficult conversations about their work effort with them,” she says.
Though the conversation was certainly uncomfortable, the end result was a team with stronger communication and a better final project.
“Because of this experience, l am now able to have difficult conversations with other people without stressing myself out,” says Ramisa.Leadership and management
Leadership is all about having a vision of where you want to be and working to achieve that vision. Effective problem solving is therefore a key leadership skill. With a positive attitude, problems can become opportunities and learning experiences, from which youngsters can learn a lot.
“Listening well, seeing all sides of an issue, reacting quickly and thinking strategically should be fostered in all of our students if we want them to become useful and productive members of our society,” says Alima Akter, Professor of Management and Marketing at IUB.
