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WBS Students Work With Peace Organisation

WBS StudentsStudents at Warwick Business School are partnering with the international peace building organisation CORD to help develop their social networking programme as part of their MBA Practice of Management module.

The five, all from overseas, visited the Leamington based charity to hear first hand of its work with refugees and people affected by violent conflict in Africa and S E Asia. Their assignment will cover the academic year and draw on the students' business experience in the aviation, banking and manufacturing sectors.

CORD's Chief Executive Brian Wakley, himself an MBA, said that engaging with the prestigious Business School was an exciting proposition.

"Communications and the world of new media are vital components of CORD's operation, and offer huge potential to engage with more people in the work of building peace", he said. "With the complexities of running programmes and offices across three continents and the varied remit of our work, the students have a wide brief to further involve the public which I am sure they will find challenging. Equally we look forward to implementing some of their ideas."

CORD has worked in the post conflict field for 42 years in 26 major conflict zones. Currently the charity operates alongside refugees and internally displaced people in Chad - with 85,000 Sudanese refugees from Darfur - in Burundi and in Northern Uganda as well as supporting local partners in S E Asia from its base in Phnom Penh. CORD is an implementing partner of UNHCR and is funded by international donors as well as individual supporters.

The core module Practice of Management was developed as a direct response to the needs of organisations recruiting MBA graduates, and these organisations played a key role in creating the module. Teamwork is vital, and through a series of practical workshops and learning methods including experiential exercises, action-learning, individual and group work, role plays, reflective exercises, and self assessment inventories to build confidence and understanding, students are equipped with interpersonal, influencing, and communication skills.

Each team is charged with the responsibility and challenge of delivering and implementing a pro bono project that creates positive meaningful change, learning, innovation, and/or development inside an organisation. In order to make a positive contribution for the public good, modules are usually with either small or not-for-profit organisations.

For more information contact Vin Hammersley, Media Relations Manager, Warwick BUsiness School
Tel: +44 (0)24 7652 4124
Mobile +44 (0)7985 956 624
Email: v.t.hammersley@warwick.ac.uk