With the Summer School Beijing 2017 just around the corner, we are filled with great excitement and anticipation for what promises to be a most spectacular event. In the build-up to the educational and inspirational series of master classes and workshops, we continue to interview the experts who will be presenting on their specialist topics. One of the main trainers during the Summer School of this year is Mrs. Dorotea Milas, Lecturer at Zagreb School of Business, Croatia. Mrs. Milas research interests are in the fields of philosophy (ethics), religious science, communication and cultural studies. She has participated in national and international scientific and professional conferences and has published several scientific and professional papers.
Mrs. Milas will be hosting a workshop under the theme of, ‘Intercultural Communication and Marketing’. This pre-event interview aims to provide Summer School participants with added insight and understanding as to what they can expect from the workshop, in addition to learning how to best prepare for the event.
Dorotea, on behalf of the Youth Time International Movement, we delightedly welcome you to share your expert knowledge and advice with participants of the Summer School Beijing 2017. We’d like to know more about you, your career and specialist subjects. Would you share with us a short introduction?
I’m a professor of philosophy and religious sciences, and I obtained the title of lecturer in the field of information and communication sciences. In business and academic life, I give priority to interdisciplinarity because I believe that, with interdisciplinarity, we open many doors and can more clearly and precisely articulate what we want.
I’m employed with the Zagreb School of Business in the Communications Department, focusing primarily on the Marketing and Communications professional study program. The Zagreb School of Business offers a wide range of study programs including: Marketing and Communications, Cultural Management and Production, and Supply Chain Management.
Furthermore, the Zagreb School of Business offers contemporary study programs as a response to the needs of students and our society. I’m extremely grateful and proud of our leadership that encourages both students and professors to achieve their full potential. Our joint objective is education and creating experts who will achieve above-average results, creating a new value and new changes in the environment in which we are active, guided by the highest professional, ethical and personal values.
I enjoy working with students, young people full of potential, eager for knowledge, which is my greatest motivation and inspiration to perform everything I do from the heart and with full responsibility towards them. What I do is not a job, it’s a calling. It’s a daily challenge, unrepeatable, unpredictable, and my students give me wings to fly together and to open new doors on our life journey.
What was your motivation for joining the International Summer School in Beijing 2017 and how does your personal credo align with the mission and vision of Youth Time?
I didn’t have to search for motivation. The values and priorities that are advocated by Youth Time were the driving force for participating in the Summer School. It’s a great honor for me to be a participant and the head of a workshop as part of the Summer School. I became familiar with the Youth Time organization, its work and activities last year at the Global Youth Forum in Jakarta. This is when I wanted to become part of this noble and, above all, valuable education and learning movement for youth from around the world. My personal credo is aligned with the vision and mission of Youth Time. Is there a more noble and valuable mission and vision that advocates giving, promoting education, care for youth, intercultural exchange, and solidarity? All of this and much more is Youth Time. I’m pleased to be participating, along with colleagues from the Zagreb School of Business, in the Summer School in Beijing, and that we’ll be part of this excellent event.
Without giving too much away, would you share with us a brief description of what the ‘Intercultural Communication and Marketing’ workshop is going to be about? Will there be any particular area of focus?
Intercultural dialog is an imperative in all aspects of communication. The question of interculturalism is a matter of concern for altruism, tolerance and peace, recognition and respect for diversity, democratic co-existence, and human rights. The cultural expressions of contemporary societies are rapidly changing, particularly as a result of the media’s formation of the world. For this reason, culture should be understood as general communication that leads to the interaction of diverse identities, places them in an intercultural and acculturative relationship. The stronger the awareness of the tolerance of other cultures, the greater the chance of achieving intercultural dialog. Meeting and dialog should help so that the difference among culture could be perceived, understood and valued. The concepts of globalization and international marketing are two important concepts that must be addressed and discussed in relation to business operations of large multinational companies. We will focus on trends in international marketing and outline some examples of successful adaptation to globalization and the modern era. If we make the effort to understand others, we will get to know ourselves better!
What are the prime goals and intentions of your workshop and how can Summer School attendees best apply the knowledge and skills gained in their future?
The main objective of the workshop is communication and encounters in dialog and sharing of experiences. Furthermore, expressing one’s own opinion, critical consideration of different viewpoints and encouraging interests and activities aligned to the current moment. The objective is for students, after participating in the workshop, to recognize social conditionality, to acquire an understanding of the process of communication and information management, as well as the basic principles of approach to social issues.
Do you have any advice for Summer School participants with regard to preparations before attending your workshop?
Most important are good will and the desire to open up new horizons. If we truly want something, through work, dedication and responsibility, we will achieve it. What is necessary is the will and desire to participate. I believe that we will undergo a beautiful, joint and useful experience. My general advice to students would be – don’t wait for motivation, create it yourself!
Are there any additional topics or elements you wish to bring to our attention or add?
I’m proud, privileged and grateful that Youth Time has invited me to the Summer School in Beijing to hold a workshop for students. It’s a great honor. I’m glad that I will share my experiences, as well as those of my colleagues, with students, participants of the Summer School and participants of our workshop. I look forward to our encounter, to working together and to our joint experiences.
Photos: Archive of Mrs. Milas
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