Third SYLP cohort in viva voce exams |07 August 2013

Members of the third cohort of the Seychelles Young Leaders Programme completed a one-month selected work experience overseas during the month of June and are doing viva voce examinations.
The overseas attachment was arranged by University of Seychelles (UniSey).

Building on the academic and practical knowledge, skills and insights they experienced during the two-year SYLP course, this assignment provided the students with a unique opportunity to further develop their professional competence and leadership capacity.

On returning to Seychelles from countries such as France, Belgium, Spain, Malta, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Mauritius, China and South Africa, the students presented a report on their work experiences which they shared with their colleagues at a special plenary meeting on July 19.

Meanwhile, viva voce examinations for the dissertation of the MA degree (in Leadership and Strategy) are taking place this week for the 23 students
Conducted by Dr Cedric Chau, visiting lecturer from the Institute of Public Administration (IPA), a College of the National University of Ireland, the viva voce examinations mark a key stage in the MA degree dissertation process. The main purpose of the viva voce examination is to assess each student’s progress in relation to the chapters of his/her dissertation completed at this important stage. The viva voce provides an opportunity for each student to defend his/her dissertation and to discuss any matter raised by the examiner. Subsequent to the viva voce examination, the remaining stages of the dissertation process are: findings and discussion; conclusion; re-drafting the dissertation and formal submission to the IPA.

Later this month, the UniSey, in collaboration with Alliance Française, will be arranging a series of 10 half-day mandatory French lessons aimed at enhancing the students’ competence in spoken and written Business French.

These sessions, which are due to start on August 23, 2013, are partially sponsored by the French Embassy in Seychelles.
The SYLP – a special initiative launched in 2007 by President James A Michel – is directed by Lucy Athanasius, pro-vice-chancellor of the UniSey, in collaboration with Dr Michael Mulreany, director of the Institute of Public Administration (IPA, Ireland), and Dr John Nolan, special adviser on education to the President.