Open University Students' Association in Italy
Northern Italy Branch (OUSA NI) & Rome Branch

REVIEWS

OUSA Conference - 1- 3 April 2005

OUSA sends a team each year to participate in this event, in 2004 it was held at the OU's Headquarters in Milton Keynes.  The 2004 team included the OUSA NI chair Sara Hatcher (as OUSA South Europe Committee Member) and our webmaster Michelle W. Eriksson as the delegate for OUSA NI.   There was no delegate for the Rome Branch.  In 2005, the conference heads south and will be held on the coast in Eastbourne.  Sara will once again attend as ECM.   Two other OUSA NI members will attend, as will one member from  OUSA Rome.

At OUSA Conferences, policy motions are presented and each team votes on whether they should be adopted by OUSA and presented to the OU.  This system provides OU students with a chance to voice their needs and desires to the OU.  The Regional Forum of Southern Europe has generated many motions which represent the Western Europe (WE) viewpoint.

Leadership at its best

On Saturday, 8 November 2003, the Tenebiaco Cultural Centre in Sesto San Giovanni (MI) hosted a seminar organised by the Kent Institute and OUSA NI.  The discussion on leadership drew inspiration from the English explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.

David Ward, PhD (Open), presented the seminar to a very lively audience and Mr. Godfrey Balchin of the Kent Institute, was the moderator.

The discussion began by questioning why Shackleton should be studied in this particular period, and by trying to apply a list of qualities to a general idea of leadership.  The audience was then invited to interact by associating some of the mentioned qualities to another person who was in the room.  Surprisingly enough, it came out that we all possess intrinsic leadership qualities, but we simply do not realize it!  It was also pointed out that leadership is often experienced in a domestic environment more than at work, as we would all expect.

A video in English on Shackleton's incredible adventure in the Antarctic was then shown and the audience was highly impressed - they could understand both the risks innvolved and Shackleton's personality itself.

After refreshments (unfortunately penguin steaks were not available that day), the female side of leadership was presented.  The focus was on those peculiar qualities which make women particularly appreciated in specific situations.

At the end of the presentation, many hands were raised to question and discuss the various topics in more detail.  The seminar ended on a particularly light note, hoping that David would entertain the same audience again soon with other brilliant presentations.

by Paola Domini

For a slide-show presentation of this event, please click here (Note, you must be a member of the OUSA NI group, if you aren't a member, sign up now)

November's
"Dinner and a Pint"

On 14 November 2003, OUSA NI held a dinner party at the SERENDIB Sri Lankan restaurant on Via Pontida near Metro line Moscova (see Map) with a short drink beforehand at MacDuff's pub on Via Volta.

We tried a variety of dishes and enjoyed ourselves immensely.  Dishes included marinated chicken, curried squash, popadums, mixed vegetables, and other traditional Eastern Indies dishes.

Dishes were flavourful, if not a bit toned down for the Italian palate.  If you like your food spicy, make sure to ask the servers in advance or get some crushed chili spice on the side.

If you live in Milan and like Indian food, this restaurant is a must see.

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