Local counsellors play an essential role in supporting the learning of SBS’s offshore Masters students (MBA and MSc). To recognise their contribution, the international division and its international partners have launched the Local Counsellor of the Year Award. The inaugural 2010-11 award went to Ilias Kastritis (2nd right in the photograph). Ilias has been the local counsellor for Exploring the International Business Environment on the MBA in Greece for the past 12 years and is also actively involved in the orientation of new students.
Professor Colin Eden, Vice Dean International and Director of the International Division, said, "Local counsellors support the learning of our students through their liaison with academics and contextualisation of the material, and supporting our international partners in the promotion and delivery of the programme. The best of them make a huge difference to our students' experience and this award is to recognise the best of the best".
On receiving the award, Ilias Kastritis summarised his role as a local counsellor as consisting of proximity to students and their needs, eliciting 'food for thought' on what they learn, helping them in the process become better 'whole persons'.
Dr Catherine Demangeot, Chair of the Local Counsellors’ Community of Practice, makes the award to Ilias Kastritis in Athens in the company of other Athens Local Counsellors (left to right) Nikitas Despotidis, Afroditi Feredinou (also Managing Partner of IMS, Strathclyde’s partner in Greece), and George Hantzos .