A Gym to Become Good Leaders. And TeamWorkers

A FIVEMINUTE PRESENTATION TO WIN OVER THE AUDIENCE AND CONVINCE THEM OF THEIR THESIS. THIS IS THE CHALLENGE FACED BY MORE THAN 1500 MASTER OF SCIENCE STUDENTS DIVIDED INTO 250 GROUPS. THE AIM: TO LEARN HOW TO CONVINCE AS TRUE LEADERS AND TO WORK IN TEAMS

More than 1,500 students of different Master of Science programs challenged each other on the aula Magna stage in a contest of teamwork and leadership, "Skills that will become increasingly fundamental in the world of work," says Massimo Magni, coordinator of the initiative and director of the Master of Science in International Management. The students, after participating in a series of seminars on industry 4.0 transformations, were divided into about 250 groups, each assigned with an article on a different topical issue: from artificial intelligence to bitcoins, from the role of emoticons in communication to addiction to technologies. Their task was to work in teams and to develop a 5-minute persuasive presentation, in the style of Ted Talk, taking inspiration from the article assigned.

The four winning groups are formed each from students belonging to four different degree courses: Accounting, Financial Management and Control, Marketing Management, Management, Economics and Management in Arts, Culture, Media and Entertainment. "My group was assigned the theme of the conservation of cultural assets, and to make the public understand how important it was not only to preserve, but also to remember, we showed some white slides and described, as if only we were able to see them, some famous works of art, such as the Birth of Venus by Botticelli," explains Gianluca Trucco, a member of one of the winning groups. "We, on the other hand, have chosen to approach the theme of the growing role of artificial intelligence in the world of work from a positive point of view, presenting it as a precious opportunity to combine human skills with the precision of machines," adds student Camilla Lauritano.

"I was glad to see students so interested and involved in the challenge. Although it was a competition, one thing I particularly appreciated was the mutual support and encouragement that the students gave to their classmates at each stage. And that created a positive and very learning-friendly environment," Magni concludes.

by Benedetta Ciotto