Case Study- The Allahabad University
Identifying the Requirement
There has been a sudden spurt in awareness due to a compelling requirement for trained human resources in all the sectors. The impact of globalization on various industries has redefined the skills required to be successful.Communication skills have become indispensable to effective functioning in all spheres of life. Unfortunately, inspite of the increasing importance placed on communication skills, a majority of the target audience is unaware of the value of effective communication. They are unable to communicate their thoughts and ideas and continue to struggle. This handicap stands in the way of their career progression and makes it nearly impossible for them tocompete in their workplace. It goes without saying that good communication skills convey a sense of efficiencyand success and therefore, are essential to build a successful career.
Another vital cog in the wheel of success is the knowledge of soft skills. What are soft skills? The web defines themas the ability to engage and interact effectively with others, obtain acceptance, build consensus, and provide assistance, direction and leadership as needed. They are essentially personal management skills that determineyour strengths as a leader, listener, negotiator, and conflict mediator. Soft skills complement hard skills, which arethe technical requirements of a job
Background
The prestigious University of Allahabad was established in 1887 and has even been called, the “Oxford of the East”.Ever since its inception, the university has been constantly upgrading the existing courses and adding new ones.Its dynamic curriculum, dedicated faculty and excellent infrastructure make it one of the most sought after universities in India. On 23 June 2005, it was declared an ‘Institution of National Importance’ by the President ofIndia.
It was realised by the management at the university that it was essential for every student to acquire a blend ofcommunication skills and soft skills along with the basic technical and process knowledge, to function effectively in a global scenario. A need was felt to build up Global English Communication Skills using a special programme targeting the students. This requirement was fulfilled by Liqvid eLearning Services that developed a programme in association with the university. It had world class content customised to suit the requirements of the students and was run on campus. It even made a provision for awarding a prestigious certificate to the successful learners.
Solution
The programme created by Liqvid for the Institute of Professional Studies, University of Allahabadcomprises the English Language component and the Soft Skills component
01. The English Language programme
is a blend of Instructor-Led Training (ILT) and Computer-Based Training(CBT). It follows a holistic approach to language learning with spotlight on pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. The programme culminates with English Edge certification bearing the prestigious BBC Logo. EnglishEdge has been developed in association with BBC Active and draws its strength from BBC Active’s expertise in creating English language teaching programmes across the The key features are as follows:
Parameters like speech sounds, pronunciation, voice modulation and accent correctionare stressed upon. The objective is to make the learner speak in a globally-accepted neutral accent and minimise mother tongue influence
The CBT module of the programme allows students to work at their pace. Every topicincludes a short assessment activity that gives instant feedback to the student. This goes a long way in ensuring that a major part of what has been learnt is retained
02. The Soft Skills programme
Almost everyone needs to give presentations to either clients or co-workers. This course teaches how to be a proficient public speaker in order to go up the professional ladder
Many Indians face difficulty in being understood by foreign clients as they use English terms thatare part of the “Hinglish” prevalent only in India
The students learn to express their ideas in a clear and coherent manner so that they stand out in group discussions and leave a mark in job interviews
Your résumé along with a cover letter is essential for getting an interview. It is important to know how to market yourself even before you face the interview panel and this is precisely what is taught in this programme
Methodology
This programme was launched at the Institute of Professional Studies, University of Allahabad in January 2010 atthe Department of Food Technology, Department of Fashion Technology, Department of Media Studies, and theBCA for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The team from Liqvid visited the campus and installed the trainer and the learner software in the laboratory. Along with the software, Liqvid organized an exhaustive training programme for trainers on
Nov 5 and Nov 6, 2009. The English Edge Programme was finally launched on 6 Jan, 2010. A mid- term assessment was carried out in March 2010. The encouraging results proved that the course had had the desired impact. Follow up activities were carried out by experts from Liqvid in Jan 2010 and April 2010 to monitor the progress of the course. The elementary and the basic courses were wrapped up in April 2010 and the final assessments concluded in May 2010.
