New edition: Industry Immersion Program for AIMS
We are proud that the MARGA business simulation is part of the 'AIMS ESMT Industry Immersion Program' at AIMS South Africa 2018.
In July 2018, ESMT Berlin and the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) welcomed 26 students to the second intake of the Industry Immersion Program (IIP) in Cape Town, South Africa today. The six-month program for mathematically trained African graduates prepares students to transition from an academic environment to employment in industry. The 14 women and 12 men participating in the IIP all hold a Master’s degree. They come from Botswana, Burundi, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
The main aim of the program is to give AIMS Alumni the opportunity to contribute to the economic transformation. One part of the program is to develop their managerial and organizational skills. In the business simulation MARGA the participants learn how to lead a company and how to use managerial tools. We are happy to support this program with practical learning and skill development.
Our kick-off consisted of two parts: On the first day, the participants learned financial basics with the haptic MARGA Board Game. On the second day, the introduction to the MARGA business simulation and test period supported by expert trainers took place. In the following online phase the participants continued managing their MARGA company in virtual team work. This online phase was finished on November 5, 2018, when the live final with the shareholder´s meeting and the award ceremony took place in South Africa.
It was a pleasure for us to support this program with active and practical learning.
The winning teams of AIMS IIP 2018
More about the program
The IIP was launched in July 2017 and is comprised of two academic modules and a 12-week internship with industry partners across Africa. Professors from ESMT faculty teach pro bono on topics such as business etiquette and presentation skills, corporate strategy, finance and accounting, data analytics, and organisational behavior. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides financial support for costs such as travel expenses for students and professors with funds from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Internship partners in 2018 include B. Braun, Bosch, E-Health Nigeria, Evonik, Hatch, I&M Bank Kenya, Khonology, Krones Kenya, Siemens, ThyssenKrupp, and VW.
“Last year 25 AIMS students from eight African countries completed the Industry Immersion Program,” said Nick Barniville, Associate Dean of Degree Programs at ESMT. “We hope that this pilot program will be emulated and make a contribution to improve graduate employability in Africa.”
The participants during the board game seminar
Candidates on the industry immersion program do business skills training, consisting of courses, as well as the Marga modules, which provide them with skills that they can apply in business and industry. The 25 candidates this year came from 9 different countries. The Marga modules ran throughout the program, even when some candidates were on placements in different countries. It was clear that candidates enjoyed participating in the modules.
Dr Simukai Utete, Senior Researcher, AIMS, and Program Leader for the AIMS side of the AIMS-ESMT IIP
