In order to equip future managers in Algeria with the skills needed to compete in today’s global economy, the William Davidson Institute (WDI) at the University of Michigan will launch a Business Intelligence and Decision Making course at L’Institut National de Commerce (INC) on May 2.
The initiative is funded by the
Higher Education for Development (HED) and the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), as well as the full technical and academic support of the INC staff and faculty.
The course will give INC business students an understanding of the importance of managing information and knowledge, present a framework of analysis to help students read data and use information to simplify and streamline knowledge management during the business decision making process.
It will also teach students how a manager integrates and applies information, demonstrate how companies use technology to consolidate business functionality and streamline organizational business processes, and show how an organization creates an environment for information sharing to promote collaborative work.
The new course will be offered in an eLearning format, which will help INC students build skills related to online education. In particular, students will learn how to use wikis and other web 2.0 applications to promote life-long learning, how to apply the principles of learner-centered philosophy in designing learning platforms, and how to apply Learning Management Systems (LMS) applications to learn about other business topics.
WDI’s
Dr. Sid Benraouane will teach the course entirely via the Internet. It will be offered in a synchronous mode, which means that the reading, questions and discussions will be posted online. Students will log into the course website at the beginning of each week and complete their class sessions any time between Saturday and Friday. Additionally, two face-to-face sessions will take place at INC to train students on eLearning and to troubleshoot possible technology problems.
The course is the latest partnership between WDI and INC. The two-year relationship has produced skilled managers and leaders in Algeria - with a special focus on women. The partnership has also built the capacity of Algerian business managers to analyze and lead the needed reform efforts. The organizational linkages between businesses and INC, established via the career center, will promote collaboration in researching and understanding the new needs of the emerging economy.
Past activities of the partnership include: hosting a conference with academics, business and government leaders and international and regional experts on economic topics of great importance to Algeria; creating a career center at INC to establish internships, mentoring (especially focused on female managers with female students), job placement, alumni network and a business network; and enhancing INC’s management curriculum with new tools, new teaching methodologies and new insights from the business community.
The career center at INC was the first in the country. Since then, INC has been contacted by other Algerian universities interested in duplicating the center. The career fair at INC drew 5,000 students and 40 firms.
Also in May, an international symposium in Algeria will take a comprehensive look at university-enterprise relations in the world and suggest solutions. INC is one of the symposium sponsors.