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The University of Southampton
Southampton Business School

MSc HRM students at Southampton Business School are working alongside iSAW, an international Professional Women’s Organization

Published: 15 March 2021

In Jan 2021, we paired with iSAW through Riipen to provide an opportunity for all our MSc in HRM students to work collaboratively on a great project.

This is part of an exciting partnership between Southampton Business School and Riipen, led by Dr Philip Alford, Director of Careers, Employment, Placements & Alumni Relations (CEPAR), to embed live, project-based, experiential learning across the curriculum. 

The goal is to enhance student employability by providing them with the opportunity to apply theory and best practice they learn in class to real-world challenges facing companies and organisations.

‘iSAW is an international Professional Women’s Organization which seeks to build and promote Women’s capabilities, enabled by learning, leading and lifting others [ …]. iSAW is a place where women connect, grow, inspire and are empowered through compelling experiences based in the realities of the society, strategic networks, mentoring, ongoing personal development, local, regional and international learning opportunities, a sisterhood of support, a hub for innovation ideas…’.

Students will be responsible for carefully choosing and reviewing articles that engage with the dimensions of gender diversity in business and the key role of women in workplace innovation and change. 

Each ‘news story’ contributed to the iSAW site will be attributed to the student-author when posted on the iSAW site. All students will be offered free iSAW membership for 12 months, and enjoy all the benefits of the organization, including enhancinge their online presence and employability, and strengthening and widening their professional networks.

Prof Maria Daskalaki, who is leading this project and the module ‘Contemporary Issues and Debates in HRM’ at the OB & HRM Department (Centre for Research in Work and Organisations) at Southampton Business School, commented:  
 
‘Our students will have the opportunity this year to work in teams and contribute content to the iSAW online community through their active engagement with a range of recently published international studies on gender diversity and workplace equality. 

We are happy to be part of this effort that supports and promotes gender equality in global contexts. The students express their enthusiasm and commitment to the project, and they hope that all members of iSAW enjoy their contributions to the community’.
 
Nancy Speidel, iSAW CEO said:  
 
“iSAW, international Smart Advancing Women, is an organization dedicated to advance gender equality on a global scale. We are excited to work with Southampton Business School to help research and summarize gender equality issues in the workplace. The research conducted by the students will allow us to assemble disperse information to be included in the iSAW GRID (Gender Research Insights Database).

The information will be converted into 25 languages and shared globally through the iSAW LIFT (Learning and Intelligence For Tomorrow) platform. The project adds value to students by enhancing their learning on gender equality issues and better enables them if they experience personal gender inequality challenges. It also adds value globally as it will be used to raise awareness of gender issues in the workplace to empower women and influence men to help expedite gender equality at a faster pace.”

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