The 8th of September was announced International Literacy Day by UNESCO in 1966, and ever since, celebrated as a reminder of the importance of literacy for all and the need for more vigorous efforts towards a more literate world. The Learning Resource Centre of JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), CMS Business School, organized a collaborative learning session on Gender Differences in Leadership on September 7, 2021, to imbibe the spirit of International Literacy Day 2021.

Dr. Satyajeet Nanda, Associate Professor - HRM at CMS Business School, assigned the topic as part of the managerial skill for effectiveness course. The session commenced with Dr. Shekar HP, Librarian at CMS Business School, addressing the students to explain the flow of activities planned for the day. The keynote speaker for the event was Mr. Prithviraj, Librarian at CMS Business School. He offered valuable insights into collaborative learning with an emphasis on peer interaction to resolve real-time cases. Mr. Prithviraj shared his thoughts on the importance of collaborative and interaction-based approaches for knowledge in the process of continual learning. He advised students not to limit themselves to any one particular mode of learning, as it could end up in learning disruption. He advocated the practice of acquiring information from traditional and digital sources like newspapers, books, digital projects, subscriptions, and open-access databases. He said, “As a future manager, you should be focusing on both the digital sources and peer interactions to retrieve real-time information as part of your learning.”

The session was an attempt to encourage spontaneous collaborative learning, engage students in personal interaction with librarians, help them access other modes of information, and narrow down the digital divide. The students were asked questions about the available resources and different ways to access information on Gender Differences in Leadership. Students were motivated to learn the real-world modes of education. The session emphasized that learning should be not limited to the physical access of books and other electronic resources; personal interaction with experienced librarians also adds value to learning skills which can result in inclusive learning experiences. The informative and interactive session concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Satyajeet Nanda.