Dialogue in the Dark – An Unusual Experiential Learning for VUMBA Students

30 VUMBA students have participated in the “Dialogue in the Dark (DiD)” workshop on the 5 th of March on Sunway campus as value added learning to the subject Business Ethics and Sustainability, which is one of the core subjects in completing VUMBA programme. Dialogue in the Dark (DiD) is a social enterprise which was established in Germany 25 years ago, providing non-visual business workshops with the objectives to shift perspective from disability to ability, and to enhance human interaction and empathy towards others. The workshop was conducted in complete darkness hence students are urged to adapt to blindness and learn to use hidden senses more effectively. Based on the feedback from students, it was very successful and inspiring as there was a lot of experiential learning in the areas of communication, teamwork and empathy. Students were very much impressed with their unusual experience in communicating and solving common tasks together in the dark. In coping with darkness, students learned to build trust and offer a helping hand to each other.

This unusual experience brings about impactful insights for VUMBA students in their everyday routines, be it at work, at social events or at home.

A Chat with VUMBA Melbournian Tyson Murphy

Trailblazing as the first Australian to embark on an exchange with the Victoria University MBA (VUMBA) programme, 37-year old Tyson Murphy from Melbourne is not new to Malaysia. Having been to Penang once for a conference, this 7-week programme is the longest he has stayed thus far in Malaysia. Currently in his final semester at Melbourne’s Flinders Campus for an 18-month, 12-unit MBA programme, Tyson took on this challenge in Malaysia to better his career prospects and embrace a cultural exchange experience.

Tyson enjoys meeting new people and has had a very welcoming and hospitable experience on the Sunway campus. Despite finding the local accent challenging at times, he has made many new friends by engaging in active listening. Picking Malaysia for his last subject was out of the desire to do something different and the opportunity to engage in a new cultural and learning experience. All it took to make up his mind was a visiting meet and greet with Dr Hendry Ng, Head of the VU MBA programme at Sunway College.

Kavitha Ambigabadi, Dr Hendry Ng, Tyson and Wan IIyani