The Nihal European University in Sudan

The Coaching Academy is intended as a degree-accompanying institution of the Nihal European University in Sudan. Nowadays heads of personnel departments are not only looking for well qualified graduates, but they also place value on a secure personality and a confident self-presentation. Furthermore there is the problem that students in degree programmes without a direct relationship to economics do not have fundamental skills in business administration. In applying for positions however it is very useful for an applicant not only to have good specialized qualifications, for instance in agricultural sciences, but also to have acquired skills in management beyond that.

The Coaching Academy will start with the areas just mentioned. Through such coaching the individual personal development of students will be promoted and supported. The Coaching Academy should help students in planning their careers, instructing them in the fundamentals of management (for instance). But so-called “soft skills” will also be a component in the Coaching Academy. Its holistic approach combining economic as well as social components with one another should make it easier for students to enter into professional life.

The following modules should become regular offerings in the Coaching Academy:

• Module 1: Management and Economic Fundamentals
  In this module negotiating strategies and project management will be improved through coaching. The seminar in “Starting a Business” however should become the most important sub-point of this module. In the face of the difficult economic situation in Sudan and an unemployment rate of 18% it would be helpful for Sudanese students to learn the fundamentals involved in starting up one’s own company. Within this sub-point students should acquire basic competence in business administration.
• Module 2: Communications technologies
  In this module students should learn the fundamentals of discussion and rhetoric. Everyday repartee and the mastering of small talk are also core elements of the seminars. Body language should also be a central topic in these seminars. It rules and fine points will also be transmitted to students. The goal of this module is to teach the students how to be self-confident in a manner that is in harmony with Sudanese culture and social customs.
• Module 3: Applications
  In this module students will learn what they have to pay attention to in applying for positions and how to formulate their applications correctly. In addition they should be taught how they can best present themselves in an interview situation. This will be conveyed in light of Sudanese practices. The analysis of interviews can also take place using video recordings.
• Module 4: Personal and social competences
  In this module students should learn how they can better deal with the strains that emerge in the workplace. They will be taught for example how to avoid or deal with stress. In avoiding stress time management plays a central role. This topic should also be a component of the module. Lastly social competence such as cooperating in or leading groups should also be taught.