At the end of April, the Institute for European Studies organised a Skills Week for its undergraduate students. This initiative was organised in collaboration with Baudina Vassallo Baarsma and Rocio Ruiz Mendez of NHL Stenden, in the Netherlands. The workshops covered a range of essential skills, including: Personal Leadership; Debating Skills; Presentation Skills; and Interview Skills.

As an example, the leadership and teamwork workshop began with the students being divided into four teams to construct a tower using only spaghetti sticks and three marshmallows. The objective was to create the tallest and most stable tower, revealing different leadership qualities within the groups. Some members emerged as leaders, while others took on more supportive roles. Following the tower-building activity, participants engaged in a colour chart exercise where they identified themselves as red (competitive, strong-willed), blue (precise, cautious), yellow (enthusiastic, sociable), or green (patient, caring). Teams were then formed with members of contrasting colours to emphasise diverse characteristics within a group. In the subsequent activity, "Protect the Egg," teams collaborated to design a safety basket to safeguard an egg from breaking when dropped from a height. By working with teammates of different colour profiles, participants learned the value of diverse personalities and how they contribute to effective teamwork.

The workshops were a great success and the plan is to repeat these in the future.

In the picture you have Dr Baudina Vassallo Baarsma with Dr Moira Catania and Dr Jean Claude Cachia, of the Institute.