LSC Connect - London School of Commerce
Transcription
LSC Connect - London School of Commerce
LSC C O N N E C T Spring 2015 News from The LSC Group of Colleges Alumni Network Contents Welcome from Lord Tomlinson The Latest From LSC In His Words: Dr Lester Massingham Alumni News & Success Stories Alumni Spotlight: Nainaz Shroff Staff Spotlight: Roger Telfer Student Spotlight: Sanan Aliyev From The Desk of Dr Rajendra Kumar Sporting Times COPTE Project Be Part of LSC Connect Refer A Student & Receive £250 Welcome “ I am delighted to introduce you to the first edition of the London School of Commerce Group’s new Alumni magazine: LSC Connect. On a personal note, I can testify to the importance of connections in my own career. I can trace links from my early work as a lecturer directly to my work on the Advisory Board of LSC: I was introduced to LSC’s Chief Executive by a former employer from my younger days! Equally, my career in the House of Commons, the European Parliament and latterly at the House of Lords has been marked by the value of networks to enhance my own personal and professional development. As successful graduates, I trust you share my enthusiasm for the transformational power of higher education for individuals and the communities from which they come. As an alumni of the LSC Group in particular, I hope your own experiences fill you with pride and satisfaction. It is my wish that this regular magazine provides you with a valuable forum within which to keep up to date with your colleagues, to connect with new networks, and to work with us to make these opportunities available to others across the globe. Perhaps the next ” exciting business opportunity, for you or LSC, will come from one of your connections! Lord John Tomlinson of Walsall Chairman of the LSC Advisory Board 3 The latest from LSC BSB ARMENIA CAMPUS OPENING The LSC Group of Colleges recently opened a new, eighth campus in Yerevan, Armenia. This is a unique project in collaboration with Armenian State University of Economics and Anglia Ruskin University. The Prime Minister of Armenia, Mr Hovik Abrahamyan, opened the British School of Business, Armenia in Yerevan in September 2014. The Rector of Armenian State University of Economics, Mr Koryun Atoyan, also performed the opening ceremony along with the attendance of Her Excellency British Ambassador to Armenia, Katherine Leach, and many other highly esteemed guests from the UK and Armenia. BSB Armenia campus offers an MBA for executives programme for both Armenian and international students. The course is run at the same standard as those offered in the other campuses such as London and Malta. The programme offers students the opportunity to study two of the modules in one of the LSC overseas campuses at no additional tuition fee. 4 OPENING OF LSC MALTA In June 2014, the London School of Commerce, Malta was officially opened by the Prime Minister of Malta, Dr Joseph Muscat. Dr Muscat said that Malta is becoming “a buzzing centre of academic excellence and an educational hub”.The event was attended by dignitaries from Malta and the UK including the Malta Minister for Education and Employment, Evarist Bartolo and the British High Commissioner in Malta, Rob Luke. Lord John Tomlinson of Walsall, Chair of the LSC Advisory Committee speaking of our mission with LSC Malta, said, “We aim to complement and reinforce the educational hub of the Maltese Islands and strengthen the education of adult students through a diverse student experience which goes beyond simply core academic achievement.” LSC Malta offers a full-time and part-time portfolio of graduate and postgraduate courses in business, management, and information technology, leading to internationally recognised qualifications accredited by the National Commission for Further and Higher Education. The campus is located in the vicinity of the historic city of Valletta, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 5 The latest from LSC LSC MALTA PRESENCE AT MALTA YOUTH TO BUSINESS FORUM 2015 LSC Malta International Marketing Officer, Ludmilla Yoshida, gave a talk at the recent Malta Youth to Business Forum 2015 hosted by AIESEC Malta. AIESEC is a global youth organisation focused on leadership development in students and recent graduates. Ludmilla spoke on the importance of breaking out of your comfort zone and taking risks. Over 90 delegates, mostly students, participated this year, including LSC Malta MBA student Augusto Cesar Pereira from Brazil. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATING STUDENTS A group of delighted LSC London students enjoyed their Graduation Party at Chaucer House on Friday, 20 March 2015. They were joined by course leaders, Dr Rajendra Kumar and Anand Walser. Food and drinks were arranged by party host and Student Services Manager, David Staley and dancing took place to the sounds of LSC House DJ, Kerwin. Congratulations to our graduating students who join a growing community of LSC alumni. HIGH COMMISSIONER OF MALTA VISITS LSC LONDON The High Commissioner of Malta in London, His Excellency Norman Hamilton along with his Political and Press Officer, Ms Nerissa Sultana, visited the London School of Commerce on Tuesday 3 March 2015. His Excellency was given a tour of the facilities and met with the senior management of the School. He subsequently met with the Chair of the Advisory Committee Lord John Tomlinson, Chief Executive, Mr Tim Andradi and other members of the senior management team at the House of Lords for lunch. His Excellency was keen to understand the significance of the LSC Malta Campus which is part of the LSC Group of Colleges and assured the senior management of all his help and support in making the LSC Malta campus a success. SENIOR LSC FACULTY ARE JUDGES IN EUROPEAN BUSINESS AWARDS In September 2014, Dr Uma Mohan and Dr Rajendra Kumar, senior members of the LSC faculty, attended the European Business Awards (EBA) and represented LSC on the Judging Panel. Since 2007, the European Business Awards have recognised success, innovation and ethics across the most innovative businesses in the European business community. In 2014, the EBAs engaged with over 24,000 organisations in over 33 countries. Showcasing the best in class, past winners are from a diverse range of industries including cosmetics, pharmaceutical, engineering, fashion, online businesses, manufacturing and transport, were congratulated by an audience comprising heads of state, leading industrialists, entrepreneurs, business leaders, media owners and senior academics from across 33 European nations. Judges are selected to participate in the competition based on their experience, business acumen and expertise. Well done Dr Mohan and Dr Kumar for flying the LSC flag at the awards. 6 Organisational structure LSC Group of Colleges 7 In his words... “ Welcome to the global LSC Alumni!!! Anticipating, experiencing and benefitting from the MBA have been a unique journey for everyone. Your newly enhanced Mature Business Attitude enables the application of distinctive perspectives from which to harvest sustainable rewards in the years to come. I am sure that you will look forward to inspiring career growth simply because you are now even more employable than before. The acquired knowledge, skills and renewed managerial mind-sets are a powerful formula for the longer term future, not just in the short term. Stop Press Launching DBA Programme in London & Colombo in May 2015 From my international experience, for you to achieve acknowledged success will probably depend upon three imperatives: • Your technical skills. • Your interpersonal skills. • Your ability to think both strategically as well as critically to contribute to individual and team based decisions. The fine tuning of these skills has in fact been an incremental process throughout the MBA as you have networked and negotiated with your classmates and work colleagues. This, I am sure, has been fulfilling. But… is there yet more to be gained beyond the horizons of MBA graduation? This is a question we have been asked so frequently. The answer will soon be announced officially. Our next journey together could be at the doctoral level. Over the past two years, the LSC DBA has been undergoing development in the UK. In fact we are currently approaching the final stages. Our innovative DBA is a Professional Doctorate with taught modules delivered in a pattern very similar to the MBA. It is designed to prepare you for the integrated top management roles of value creation, implementing change strategies and leadership for sustainable shareholder outcomes. Yes, this is truly exciting and moreover relevant to your current business environment, whether in the UK or overseas. For those of you who have upwardly mobile career ambitions attached to board level aspirations, then our DBA will provide ‘the answer’. It will enable you to achieve new organisational discoveries, improve your managerial effectiveness, and boost career accession potential. ” You are now part of a new community, a new family... the LSC Alumni. Once again, a warm welcome ...and... please share your success stories with us. Stay in touch, all the very best... remember.... ‘who cares wins‘ Dr Lester Massingham MBA for Executives, Course Director 8 Alumni spotlight NAINAZ SHROFF MBA (2008), LSC London Director, Taylor & Shroff Nainaz came to LSC London in 2007 to pursue an MBA after graduating from Ahmednagar College with a Bachelor of Commerce in 2006. While still a student in LSC London, Nainaz met David Carr Taylor, one of five pioneers in the English wine industry and shared with him her idea to innovate and create a wine that will complement hot, spicy and full-flavoured foods. After the idea was jointly researched by Nainaz and Carr Taylor, Taylor and Shroff Wines (http://taylorshroff.com/) was born. After qualifying with her MBA, Nainaz has been developing the brand of Taylor & Shroff in Maharashtra State where she has achieved a highly respected reputation for ethical business and is well respected in the Parsee community in Mumbai and Pune. Today, Taylor and Shroff offer an exciting new range of wines to suit all palates and have won over 130 awards and medals since the vineyard was founded. Here, Nainaz looks back at her time at LSC and shares her ambitions for the future. LSC Connect: What did you enjoy most during your time at LSC? Nainaz: I enjoyed discovering myself the most at LSC. I loved being able to make my own choices with absolute freedom. I enjoyed taking responsibility for my choices and more importantly bouncing out of the negative each time and surprising myself by doing my best. And through it all, I made the most precious bonds with beautiful people who all stood as one force pushing me forward in life to achieve my dreams and goals. I enjoyed the kindness and guidance of my teachers, I enjoyed fun times with friends and I enjoyed earning my own money and paying my bills on time. I enjoyed being me! I learnt to make my choices and stick with them. 9 Alumni spotlight LSC Connect: That is a really positive and happy experience. If you had your time at LSC again, is there anything you’d do differently? Nainaz: Yes! I would never leave because at LSC, I had the best time ever. I am an ‘LSC Patriot’. If I had my time again, I would help more if I could. I would get involved with key business clubs or resource clubs so that my friends would to be able to learn more about the options available to them for their future careers. LSC Connect: We love the concept of an ‘LSC Patriot’. What do you think LSC best prepared you for in your career? Nainaz: The multicultural exposure at LSC helped me break away from my shell and move into a secure, practical, and strong cosmopolitan space with my thoughts, actions and attitude. It gave me a filter for life for me to be able to tell right from wrong. LSC Connect: You have been very successful in your industry. What advice do you have for current students looking to start a career in your sector? What could they be doing now? Nainaz: This is not a trade or sector for regulars. It is a trade for the tough ones So they (interested students) better be drinking lots of good wines and being good spirits about it all. More importantly, they need to be ready and able to stand back up after every shot in life. The alcohol industry is a tough industry with intense trade, market, legal and commercial limitations for any and every big and small operator globally. You must only venture into it if you are willing to sustain, fight and push till you succeed. Even if you are only but a mosquito in a room full of people, they are out to get you. Fly higher each time, raise the bar, and keep your ethical standards high as there must be no looking back, only progress by breaking new ground. I personally would love to see more girls venturing into this field. But remember, it’s tough. LSC Connect: Keeping in good spirits and willing to take shots… we love the puns. But seriously, determination, grit and a strong sense of ethics… which is what you have demonstrated in making Taylor and Shroff a success. What are your future ambitions? Nainaz: I would like Taylor and Shroff to be the biggest retailer of wines and spirits globally. In the longer term, I would love to set up schools for the young and homes for the old and undertake a range of charity work. LSC Connect: Thank you Nainaz. We wish you every success in your career and hope that as an LSC Patriot, you will continue to keep in touch with us as your business goes from strength to strength. 10 Alumni success stories JOANNA THOMAS MBAe (2014), LSC London Director, Hades UK Using the business proposal from her MBAe dissertation, Joanna set up Hades UK (http://www.hadesuk.com/), providing women with high-end Steampunk inspired designer footwear in 2012. “During the 16 months I spent at the LSC, I learned many invaluable lessons that will continuously help me throughout my career. The MBAe not only boosted my CV, it also taught me many skills that I use in my business on a daily basis. From understanding business accounts through to HR and marketing, the MBAe really helped me to possess all-round skills needed to be the director of a company. Years later my footwear distribution company, Hades UK, is thriving and it’s all thanks to LSC where I studied my MBAe and the wonderful lecturers who helped make my dream of owning my own business a reality.” Today, Hades is a recognised designer, manufacturer, and wholesaler of provocative heels and sexy footwear. Hades shoes have featured in numerous photo shoots, cat walks, TV shows, celebrity events and has been worn by Hollywood stars like Whoopi Goldberg. SIMON BURRAGE MBAe, (2014), LSC London Director, Westville Associates After a career in investment banking for more than 10 years, Simon decided he wanted to do something new and more productive. As he always knew that one of his biggest aims in life was to work for himself, he decided to enrol on the MBAe course at LSC. “The MBAe not only provided me with all the core competencies in running my own company but it also taught me a lot of the softer skills also required to be successful in business. This was as a direct result of the lecturers being extremely supportive and accessible. The course was flexible enough for me to fit in around my work schedule, whilst structured enough that it made me feel I was progressing steadily.” Simon is directly utilising the skills he has learnt as he is now in the process of setting up his own business dealing with third party property renovations involving extensions, loft conversions and general upgrades, and private property development. 11 Alumni success stories NYEI MUMTAZ SIRIWARDENA MBA, 2013, BSC, Colombo Deputy Chairperson/Managing Director, Lankaloha Hardware Ltd (the former Ceylon State Hardware Corporation) and Dave Tractors & Combines (Pvt) Ltd With over 20 years’ overall management experience, Mumtaz came to the BSC to study for an MBA from a recognised UK university as she believed this was an essential tool to help her move on to the next level of success. “The modern business environment demands that organisations continually respond to evolution, change and transformation. My company has responded to these shifts in our manufacturing, financial, human resources, distribution and marketing processes which has made us pioneers in the field.” She believes that the MBA has given her the recognition and prestige required to succeed in her career and demonstrated that she has the capabilities, competence and necessary qualifications to run a company effectively. “The British School of Commerce was the institution of choice, not only for me, but for many of us who attended the program, as they ensured consistency, integrity and that excellent facilities were available to all students for a wonderful learning experience. Enabling local students to gain a higher education such as an MBA granted by a UK university is a privilege.” Today Mumtaz is Deputy Chairperson and Managing Director at her group of companies. Her advice to potential students: “Qualified local and foreign professors and lecturers conduct classes with high standards of teaching and the flexible hours and weekend classes make it an ideal MBA program for executives. Foreign members of faculty provide insights that cannot be gained unless one has worked abroad. It has given me valuable knowledge of how businesses thrive in developed countries and has allowed me to apply the strategies taught into my own business.” HENRY YAMBA KAMARA MSc Management Consultancy (Corporate Governance), 2007, LSC London Managing Director, Sierra Leone Produce Marketing Company Henry Yamba Kamara has more than 15 years of experience in Corporate Governance, Quality Management, Investment Promotion and International Trade. He spent his early years in Sierra Leone, and did his undergraduate studies at the Njala University from where he graduated with a BSc in Physics and Chemistry. He holds n qualifications from institutions around the world including Harvard University, USA; the University of Leicester United Kingdom; and LSC, where he is currently pursuing a research degree in International Trade. 12 Henry was the Director of Export Development of the Sierra Leone Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SLIEPA) where he rose to the position of Chief Executive Officer (Acting). During this period, he has encouraged and promoted the development of agricultural production and foreign direct investment and other activities oriented towards export development in Sierra Leone. Henry looks back on his time at LSC with fondness. He particularly enjoyed meeting students from all round the world. Of his LSC education, Henry says, “Management Consultancy has provided me knowledge in managing organisations of all types and has increased my ability to develop skills in dealing with governance issues in a company.” His advice to students looking to start a career in the agribusiness is to remain focussed. His immediate goal for the future is to attain his PhD in International Trade. LSC alumni news Dinuksha Devasurendra (MBA, 2013, BSC Colombo) is Director of Sales, Middle East and Africa at hSenid Business Solutions (Pvt) Ltd. After completing his MBA, Leslie Kok (2013, WIC Kuala Lumpur) moved to Gemalto, a digital security company in 2014 as Production Manager. In January 2015, he was promoted to Operation Manager. Anil Kumar (MBAe, 2014, LSC London) is Technical Approvals Manager at Transport for London and has provided an effective Client’s Sponsorship to deliver a £200m investment portfolio for assets renewal at Transport for London. Rhys Lancaster (MBAe, 2012, LSC London) is Contract Director at Tata Communications. Rakitha Wickramaratne (MBA, 2013, BSC Colombo) is Senior IT Auditor, Group Risk at the Suncorp Group. He is responsible for performing end-to-end audits across the Suncorp Groups which includes leading general insurance, banking, life insurance and superannuation brands in Australia and New Zealand As General Manager Operations at MAS Active (Pvt) Ltd, an apparel manufacturing company, Dimantha Hemal De Pinto Wickramarathne (MBA, 2013, BSC) is getting the opportunity to apply the knowledge he gained from the MBA programme to achieve the goals in his corporate and personal life. Andy Wong (MBA, 2014, WIC Kuala Lumpur) has founded his own company supplying heavy duty trucks autoparts, Asty Autoparts (M) Sdn Bhd. 13 Staff spotlight ROGER TELFER Lecturer, LSC London Winner, Student-Led Fellowship Award for Outstanding Teacher, 2014 Roger Telfer recently received a Student Led Fellowship Award for Outstanding Teacher, 2014 in a graduation ceremony held in February 2015. Our partner university, Cardiff Metropolitan launched the Student-led Teaching Fellowships in 2011/2012 to provide students with the opportunity to recognise and reward excellent teaching practice. The award is the most distinguished that the university can bestow on an academic colleague. Here we get the opportunity to talk to Roger about his reaction to receiving this award and share his experiences of teaching. LSC Connect: Congratulations Roger. You must have felt so honoured when you found out you were the winner of the Student Led Fellowship Award. What was your initial reaction? Roger: Delighted of course, and surprised that so many students had felt inclined to take the trouble to vote for me. I felt privileged because I know, even in my relatively short period lecturing at the LSC, that there are many very able and inspiring lecturers working here. LSC Connect: What did you win and how did you celebrate? Roger: I received a beautiful glass award along with a transcript of the Fellowship. LSC Connect: How long have you been teaching? Roger: Well ...... would you believe 48 years? After graduating from the University of Exeter in 1966, and undertaking a Diploma in Education at the University of Newcastle in 1967, I started teaching at The King’s School in Pontefract in Yorkshire. Over the next 48 years I have lectured in schools, further education (FE) and higher education (HE) colleges, and, in the past 15 years for different universities. During this period I did, at one stage, have a smaller teaching commitment when I was Head of the School of Business and Management in a large FE and HE college. After my initial retirement in 2002, I taught at Anglia Ruskin University for 6 to 7 years. I joined LSC in late 2013 and have thoroughly enjoyed my time so far .... the students from so many different countries and cultures are a constant pleasure, and also, so receptive to learning in the UK. 14 LSC Connect: 48 years! That is amazing. What has LSC Connect: What are your biggest challenges? and continues to motivate you to teach? Roger: At the LSC, the main challenge is delivering Roger: I have often asked myself this. When I tell long three hour sessions to large groups of students people that I have taught all my life, many of them from a huge number of countries, with different are amazed. However, I have always believed that cultures, different expectations and different grasps education can be a powerful force for good. I still of the English language. I have to be constantly find great delight in sharing with students what I have inventive with the words, phrases and images I use learned over the years, and giving them the facility in these sessions. At a personal level... as you can to enhance their own lives through learning. The imagine, age does start creeping up on you and the day-to-day experience of the teacher can be very real challenge I want to continue to overcome is that wearing and tiring what people underestimate is the of maintaining my standards of work for a few more amount of preparation that good teaching entails. years yet! Nevertheless, the rewards, like the one I received recently, outweigh all those negative experiences. LSC Connect: What are your future plans? Roger: I suspect that I am in the twilight of my LSC Connect: In nominating you for the award, career ...... so I would like to continue to work part- students spoke not only of your total enthusiasm and time as I am doing at the moment; continue to learn- ability to breathe vitality into the subject but also you are never too old for that; enjoy my family and your skills in inspiring the development of knowledge particularly my lovely grandchildren; and, in the outside their class time. How do you motivate your immediate future, enjoy the Disney cruise we are students, and what do you do to help them learn? taking them on! Roger: Motivating students is not always easy of course. However, I have always been enthusiastic LSC Connect: What advice do you have for a teacher about the importance of the subjects I have taught who is just starting out? for all these years mainly Economics and Research Roger: Never think that you have got teaching Methodologies. I find no difficulty in enthusing about ‘sorted out’. There are always new ways to approach both of them. Economics is a ‘living’ subject and your teaching. Remember to is inspire enthuse, coax there is no shortage of current events occurring and cajole your students, they will appreciate it which I can use as examples in my lectures; students in the end. Also remember what I said earlier that too are aware of the economic world around them much hard work is necessary never go into a class and between us we have no problem in filling our unprepared or underprepared. time together positively and productively. Research Methodologies is a highly academic subject with a LSC Connect: Thank you for taking the time to share received protocol attached. I enjoy the passing your experience with us. I hope you continue to be on of that form and academic protocol. The skills inspire and enthuse in all that you do whether it’s learned through the subject should, I firmly teaching at LSC or taking the grandchildren on a believe, lead to better decision-making in all walks Disney cruise. of life where evidence-based decision making should be paramount. 15 Student spotlight SANAN ALIYEV Masters in Business Administration (MBA) Sanan Aliyev, MBA student at LSC, is used to success. Sanan is a senior black belt in Karate and is the current champion of the British Universities and Colleges Sports (BUCS) Gatorade Nationals Karate Under 67kg. Sanan is also the reigning World Champion for the under 67kg weight class, having won the World Championships in London in September 2013. His other karate achievements include British Open 2012 Scotland, Glasgow Kumite Seniors – 67kg (bronze) and TKF National Open Championships 2012 Kumite Seniors (gold). Kumite is a form of fighting much like boxing or wrestling. Sanan took time out of his busy study and training schedule to talk to us. LSC Connect: Hi Sanan, can you start by telling us a little about yourself? Sanan: I was born in Azerbaijan in 1990. I started karate when I was 8 years old. I was European Champion in 2005, World Champion in 2013, and I am the current British Universities Champion (2014). I have also won many international karate championships. LSC Connect: When did you come to the UK and why did you choose to study at LSC? Sanan: I came to the UK in 2012, after I finished my Bachelor degree in my own country. I chose LSC to study English and then I went on to complete my MBA. I was very happy to choose LSC as it is the best place you can get quality education and a nice atmosphere. LSC Connect: You are the current BUCS champion in 60+ Category Karate Kumite and also reigning European Champion. How do you combine this with your studies? Sanan: It is pleasure always for me to combine karate with education. But education always comes first to me. Education is essential for my future. Though I train twice a day, I don’t miss my classes and got nearly 90% attendance. 16 LSC Connect: You are currently preparing for the 2015 European Games. Can you tell me what this involves and what motivates you? Sanan: I’m preparing for 2015 European Olympics which will be held in Baku in Azerbaijan by training twice a day. My main motivation is to raise my country’s flag and make them proud. LSC Connect: What are your future ambitions? Sanan: In the future I want to continue my studies in LSC and would like to start a PhD degree. I would also continue to do karate. LSC Connect: How well do you think is LSC preparing you to achieve these? Sanan: Teachers and all LSC staff are always good with me and encouraged me to pursue my karate ambitions. I would like to say thanks to all staff at LSC. 17 LONDON MALAYSIA BELGRADE COLOMBO ARMENIA MALTA DHAKA From the desk of... “ Thousands of students have graduated from the LSC Group of Colleges and I think it is a wonderful idea to bring everyone together under one platform, LSC Connect. It would have been a long time since I’ve heard from some of you after you finished your studies with us and I am so excited to have the opportunity to communicate with you through LSC Connect. Lots of developments have taken place both in terms of the growth of the School and in terms of developments on the MBA programme. You will have read in this issue about the opening of new campuses in Malta and Armenia. On the MBA, we have introduced a module called Managing Human Capital and Entrepreneurship because we wanted students to be both entrepreneurs and employers as well. This has gone well and a few students have come back and shared the products and services they have launched. For instance, Ali Eren Balikel (MBA, 2011) has opened Kilikyas Restaurant serving authentic Turkish cuisine in London’s St Katherine’s Docks, Tower Bridge (www.kilikyas.com). Maduabuchi Henry Boniface Mbagwu (MBA, 2011) has started his own magazine, PING (www.pingmagazine.tv). I will share more of these exciting developments and stories through LSC Connect in the coming months. We are always so happy to meet our alums again. Quite a few past students have turned up at LSC when they have been on holiday in London with their famillies. It was such a pleasure to see them and hear their stories. I am also keen to hear your stories. I know you will all have busy schedules but we would love to hear from you about your experiences since graduation. How’s life? How have you been? How’s your experience in the corporate world? Do remember to share your stories with us at LSC Connect: http://alumni.lsclondon.co.uk As you all know, networking is a key to success and so I strongly encourage you to join the LSC Connect Alumni Network. Better yet, share these developments with the course mates you are still in touch ” with and invite them to join the LSC Connect Alumni Network too. Till next time, do get connected and stay connected! Dr Rajendra Kumar MBA Full-time, Course Director 19 Sporting times Spring is here, and it is time to dust off the cricket gear and get ready for another season. LSC has been very successful in the British Universities and College Sports (BUCS) Cricket League. We are now playing in the Second Division and will be playing against established universities like the University of Kent and the University of Essex. An interesting development this season is that we have switched our training location from the Kennington Oval to a certain place called the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Academy, located at Lords Cricket Stadium. Yes, you read it right. We will be indeed training at the Home of Cricket itself. Our chief coach is Clive Radley MBE, former England International and one of the most recognised and well respected coaches on the circuit. Clive has been Head Coach at the MCC Academy at the Lords Cricket ground for 50 years. Under his guidance in the last 4 years, the LSC cricket team has gone from strength to strength and is in the middle of a remarkable run defeating many university teams in the BUCS league. A selection of results from the past years: • Kingston University by 430 runs (LSC 500/9 in 40 over declared KU 70/10 in 22 overs) • University College London by 10 wickets (UCL 88/10 in 24.5 overs LSC 89/0 in 5.4 overs) • University of Kent by 278 runs (LSC 337/4 in 42 overs declared Kent 59/10 22 overs) We are confident that we will continue with our success. Watch this space in the next edition for an update on our sporting performances. - Guru Srinivasan 20 COPTE project COPTE (Combating Poverty is Charitable Foundation the Through supported Education) by the London School of Commerce. There are currently three main overseas projects: Maw Sevana Boys’ Home in Colombo, Sri Lanka. A safe refuge for street orphans, Maw Sevana is run purely through charitable donations and a small stipend from the local Catholic Church. The role for COPTE is to provide the ongoing funding in order to raise the level of both educational attainment and expectation. We have arranged extra tuition in IT, Maths & English for all the children in addition to providing them with new computers and audio books. As the boys grow into teenagers, it is the aim of COPTE to provide support for those moving into Secondary level education and to the Diyagala Boys’ Town in Ragama. Morning Star School for Deaf and Hearing Impaired Children in Bamenda, Cameroon The school was founded eight years ago by group of dedicated nuns in the Northwest Province of Cameroon and at that time had six pupils. As there is no state school provision for deaf children, they were often neglected and discriminated against even within their own family and community. Thanks to COPTE donations, there is now a new school building, fresh drinking water, electricity and a safe playground for all 108 children. Nyumbani Home and Village in Kitui, Kenya The Nyumbani project was founded to protect and help AIDS/ HIV infected and affected orphans. The children are adopted by surrogate ‘grandmother’ helpers who are supported within their family group. COPTE has provided the Nyumbani Village with a schoolhouse and adjoining library, which also ensures that the children can make the right kind of academic progress. - Gill Phillips 21 LSC C O N N E C T You are part of LSC Connect We are extremely proud of the exceptional talent across our global alumni community. As an alum, you are part of a group of over 20,000 alumni in over 130 countries. Open up a world of connections LSC Connect is the alumni network for you to stay connected with us and with each other, providing opportunities to connect with like minded professionals, form new friendships, to continue your personal and professional development wherever you may be and build social networks that can help you move ahead in your career. Stay Connected LSC Connect is open to all past and current students. To join. please visit http://alumni.lsclondon.co.uk and begin to benefit from being a part of our wider alumni community. If you are already a member, please make sure we have your up to date contact details login at http://alumni.lsclondon.co.uk Enjoy key alumni benefits As a member of LSC Connect you can access a number of benefits for you including a free subscription to our online LSC Connect magazine, discounts on full and part time Masters and doctoral courses, invitations to events and the use of our online community. There are also opportunities to play an active role in the alumni network by organising a reunion for your Course or Year group or by joining or leading a regional group. We want to hear from you We are always interested to hear from our alumni and find out what you’re doing now, and hear your memories of your time with us. So, whether you’ve found your dream job, set up your own business, published research findings or swum the English Channel, we want your story to inspire the next generation of students and encourage potential students to choose the LSC Group as their place of study. Share you stories with us. 22 £250 reward when you successfully refer a student Here’s an exciting opportunity to spread the word about LSC. You know firsthand about your quality LSC education and wonderful LSC experience... so why don’t you so why don’t you share the good news? One of the biggest compliments you can give us is to recommend us to your friends, family and co-workers. If you think someone you know will also benefit from studying with us, please send us their contact details and one of our admission team will contact them. To show our appreciation, you will receive a £250 reward for every referral we receive who successfully enrols with us. Please note that admissions criteria apply. You are our greatest - and most authentic - ambassadors. Keep telling the LSC story and help transform the life of someone you know. Make a referral by filling in a short form at http://alumni.lsclondon.co.uk today. 23 LSC C O N N E C T LSC Group of Colleges Email:[email protected] Website: www.alumni.lsclondon.co.uk Copyright © London School of Commerce Group of Colleges 2015. All rights reserved. Date of Publication April 2015.