Ibrahim Asante
Student spotlight details
For Ibrahim Asante, who has attended the Management and Business Skills courses since founding his own consultancy business, the high levels of interaction between tutors and students, and the relevance of the content to his everyday job, mean he continues to recommend these courses to others.
'Prior to taking the Continuing Professional Development short courses in Management and Business Skills at the University of Oxford, I worked for a variety of international organisations, including AIESEC (formerly Association Internationale des Étudiants en Sciences Économiques et Commerciales, now known as AIESEC), the American International Group (AIG) and the TIENS Group (a multi-national health company with a presence in over 100 countries) working as Country Coordinator (AIESEC Planet Project), Team Manager (AIG) and International Trainer/Independent Consultant (Tiens Group) respectively.
'I founded my own business, Significant International Training Systems (SITS), in 2005. SITS provides International Business Management, Human Resources (HR) & Leadership Consultancy Services. Additionally, I am a current volunteer as Head of Training for the Humanity First UK charity, and a frontline volunteer with the St Luke’s Hospice, London.
'I was attracted to the Oxford CPD courses because of their practical relevance to the everyday strategic management of an organisation, like Successful Change Management, Applying Knowledge Management, Advanced Project Management and Essentials of Project Management. The calibre of the course tutors, who have vast practical international experience in their areas of expertise, was also a key decision-making factor.
'All the CPD courses I’ve taken at the University of Oxford since 2010 have been very engaging in both content and context, with high levels of interaction between the tutor and students, and among the students themselves – bringing to bear vast industry knowledge and experiences. The intensity of the courses is very challenging and mind-stretching, taking one almost out of their comfort zone into real life scenarios under the expert guidance of the eminent lecturers. Truly educational.
'All four Oxford CPD courses that I have attended so far have come with surprises in the form of additional knowledge learnt (conventional and otherwise), and practical case study examples to drive home concepts, applications and solutions to challenges posed.
'My business goals have been significantly refined over the years by the knowledge acquired through the CPD courses. The application of one concept learned played a significant role in assisting a client of mine increase their productivity by 15% in 3 months, which is very remarkable.
'I always endeavour to go through the recommended readings after each course and apply the relevant knowledge to my business.
'I have also made very good friends from around the world, some of whom I have forged strong alliances with and shared mutually beneficial experiences long after the completion of the courses.
'Before I embarked on my first University of Oxford CPD course in 2010, little did I know that the knowledge, networking and Oxford educational experience I was about to acquire was going to catalyse my movement from the ‘ocean of sameness’ as a professional to the ‘lake of differentiation’ and pull me further into that small ‘pool of distinction’ in my line of business.
'All the people I have so far recommended to attend the Oxford CPD Management and Business Skills courses have been delighted they did.'
