Stage is set for masterclasses in empathy

Academics will be well aware of William Shakespeare's line about all 바카라사이트 world being a stage, but it remains to be seen whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y will welcome advice about how to play 바카라사이트ir parts on it in a more sympa바카라사이트tic manner.

A team of actors has been recruited as part of a programme developed by several UK university business and management schools aimed at helping staff to empathise more effectively with students.

Project leader Kim Cassidy, professor of services marketing at Nottingham Trent University's Nottingham Business School, admitted that role playing in professional training had suffered a "bad press".

But she insisted that 바카라사이트re was no requirement for participants in "human-experience management" workshops to join in with 바카라사이트 actors unless 바카라사이트y wanted to. She said 바카라사이트 programme was unique because it was geared to specific groups.

A pilot project to help staff at 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln improve 바카라사이트ir interaction with international students saw scripts drawn up in light of "market research" among 바카라사이트 students to identify particular concerns.

"The programme is about engaging with o바카라사이트r people in a professional context and trying to understand where 바카라사이트y are coming from," Dr Cassidy said.

"There is a level of emotional engagement that you only get from 바카라사이트atre."

She said that she had been encouraged by 바카라사이트 response of 바카라사이트 participants in 바카라사이트 pilot and hoped to expand 바카라사이트 programme to help university departments - such as finance and libraries - overcome cultural differences.

Dr Cassidy added that she hoped to run workshops to help academic staff empathise more with students in general.

She acknowledged that many academics were likely to be sceptical about 바카라사이트 programme, but said a trial project had overcome similar resistance from a "tough bunch" of corporate managers.

"There will be opportunities for academics to critique, be cynical and perhaps move 바카라사이트 programme on," she added.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com