Cooperation

Group and interpersonal skills are essential as a professional dealing with the collaboration required in multi-skilled, culturally diverse team situations. The professional skill ‘collaboration’ concerns the capacity to interact and collaborate with others effectively and respectfully in teams. The concept of teamwork is about: (a) a group of people working for one goal; (b) where each individual brings forth his/her own skills in a concentrated manner (assuring that the team efforts surpass individual contributions) and; (c) coordinates it with other skills; (d) to produce a desirable end (common goal). There is an effective cooperation if this intended common goal is reached in a good way. Therefore students need to learn (in teams) to define a clear common goal(s), to communicate openly, to make clear working agreements (with an effective and efficient division of tasks and roles), to realize a stimulating working atmosphere, and to feel responsible for their own contribution to the desired goal.