CSB completes effectively economic programs

Prof. Enriko Ceko, Lecturer at the Economics and Social Sciences Faculty at Wisdom University College of Tirana (Albania) explains the process for the recognition and the implementation of the Pilot Course, the second Output of "Cultural Studies in Business" K203 project in the field of Erasmus Plus and his contribution to the whole project in collaboration with other professors with the vision and the perspective for a future longer course curriculum.

After the offer for an elective course entitled "Cultural Studies in Business", the Department of Economy of Economic and Social Sciences Faculty at Wisdom University College, held a meeting and decided to propose a detailed draft CSB course to the Board of Deans, which took a decision to approve the proposal and delivered it to the Senate, which took a final decision on the 24.05.2019, sent to the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, to the Department of Curricula to be approved. The MESY Approval No. 5787/1, of 12.06.2019 opened the path to develop "Cultural Studies in Business" course in the second term of the academic year 2019-2020, with 45 hours, of which 30 will be lectures and 15 seminars, with 4 credits, offered to the 2nd year students of economy bachelor study program, as well as for others outside the College interested to join, who, in the end, can obtain a certificate with all the elements of visibility of the project, signed by the Professor Maria Marchetti (main coordinator of La Sapienza University of Rome), Wisdom Rector, Albanian CSB Team Leader too. As the main CSB discipline’s lecturer, being part of all the trainings, collaborating with the other professors from other universities part of the project, on the topics of the proposed Pilot Course, I strongly believe this subject has a bright future, being in near perspective a longer course curriculum too.

About practicalities, I have found very attractive working for such discipline’s lectures. By background I am agronomist, economist, lawyer and engineer, and in my experience of last 30 years, I have found that what we teach in the school, especially in terms of economics and other economic issues is not any more relevant with the reality. This can be confirmed by other academics too. In last ten years (at least) there are some organised by colleagues in the UK, Italy, USA, Australia, Japan, of course - North Republic of Macedonia (mentioning e.g. our common partner, "Euro College" of Kumanovo) etc; several activities about the no-relevance of static economics curricula, compared with the vibrant real life and economy.

So, saying that, Cultural Studies in Business brings to the current generations previous forgotten economic, because of looking only after some (respected) economic philosophers like Adam Smith, David Ricardo, John Maynard Keynes, etc, influencing the current generation and forward, different perspectives on how to see the world and human society (which is exactly what is required especially under the Covid-19 situation).

CSB offers a wide range of research areas to develop, opening the "Pandora Box" for academics with knowledge in other fields and disciplines like philosophy, sociology, anthropology, history, geography, physics, chemistry, biology, agriculture, development, business, management, finance, engineering, etc, besides economics, this to be done not only through simplified mathematical and statistical methodologies and methods used often to explain humans, but infusing into the economic research the logic of the people as humans and not just the so called logic proposed for “homo economicus”, which seems not to be relevant with the current developments of human being.

Looking after the literature to develop the CSB curricula and preparing lectures, I felt myself privileged to be part of such project, which opens to the students of the economic programs (and for the others too) a new window to see the world.

During the 5 first lectures I have developed with students subjects like cultural studies under the business perspective, relations between culture and business & economics, genealogy of economic thoughts, confronting idealism and materialism, alternative economics, globalism, Covid-19 and economy, etc, looking forward to held other lectures on subjects like technology & economy, anthropology & economy, sociology & economy, general system’s theory, ethics for a sustainable development, economic frontiers, human information, social cohesion and business development, life quality indicators, etc like this, which are core topics of Cultural Studies in Business, as I personally believe and see this program of studies.

About students, Yes!!! We are with them and they are with us! Besides the fact we are organizing online studies as per the current Covid-19 situation, I feel myself confident to declare their commitment and stimuli to get as much as possible from my lectures. We have about 30 Wisdom’s students and about 6 – 7 others which want to follow the course. They, willingly and cherished, respond to my questions and study cases I deliver for them through Wisdom website, which works perfectly.

After this experience, I suggest, we should stand together to discuss on how to improve delivering CSB and other economic programs like this in our higher education institutions and expanding our experience to the others, since I strongly believe, CSB completes effectively economic programs of our higher education system for now and for the future.

The future for CSB is bright!!!

Article written by Prof. Enriko Ceko, Lecturer of the Economics and Social Sciences Faculty, Wisdom University College (Tirana, Albania).

Lecturer of the "CSB Pilot Course" for Wisdom University College on behalf of Cultural Studies in Business Project.