The cultural artefacts from the Wanderlust Seminar
On October 2nd 2018, at 9AM the Pre-Master’s students were assembled in the GA to kick off the 3rd edition of the Wanderlust Seminar. They were welcomed by Michael Kouklakis the director of ESSEC’s Languages and Cultures Department who outlined the spirit and objectives of this unique pedagogical initiative :
“As ESSEC students, you will have to travel to fulfill the various academic and professional requirements that are expected of you. As ESSEC graduates, some of you will become expats and pursue international careers. Some of you will need to travel on business, to cross borders and navigate in different landscapes and cultures. Then again, some of you may not travel far at all. Whatever your particular situation, your capacity to observe carefully, your degree of socio-cultural-linguistic sensitivity, your ability to mingle, exchange and work meaningfully with people who come from different horizons are essential skills in leading teams, managing diversity and communicating with others.”
In order to develop these skills, the participants had to choose one mission and accomplish it to the best of their ability following the instructions scrupulously. The missions / challenges were conceived of and designed by a wide variety of people, departments / services and local organizations such as:
- Department of Languages and Cultures,
- Department of International Affairs,
- The K-lab,
- ESSEC Alumni,
- Le BDJ – Bureaux des Jeux,
- Laurence Fischer,
- Le Fablab – Labboîte,
- La Nouvelle Scène Nationale,
- ENSAPC - Ecole nationale supérieure d’arts de Paris Cergy,
- CIJ – Centre d’Information Jeunesse…
They all came on stage in the GA to pitch their missions to the audience. It is one of the most truly transversal initiatives at ESSEC.
The missions required participants to conceptualize, create and exhibit one or several cultural artefacts such as scrapbooks, travel journals, short films, stands, maps, miniature models, posters, digital immersive story-telling or time capsules, etc. These artifacts are now presented to the ESSEC community in this exhibition.
