In-house Professional Development Training on“Effective Business Communication and Negotiation Skills”

On November 17 and 19, 2025, within the framework of the DeSIRe project of the Erasmus+ programme, Arine Danielyan, Senior Lecturer at the Chair of Foreign Languages and Literature of Vanadzor State University, conducted professional development training sessions for students and faculty members on the topic “Effective Business Communication and Negotiation Skills.”

The seminars aimed to develop communication skills, negotiation abilities, approaches to conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence.

The seminar designed for students focused on key aspects of communicative activity, including verbal and non-verbal means of communication, the importance of active listening, consideration of audience characteristics, adaptation of messages to the communicative situation, as well as the interpretation of the basic principles of the negotiation process. During the sessions, students took part in various interactive activities such as ice-breaking games, non-verbal communication exercises, short negotiation role-plays, and group reflections. These approaches contributed to strengthening cooperation, increasing self-confidence, and applying theoretical knowledge in practice. The students’ active participation demonstrated the effectiveness of the methods used.

The seminar intended for faculty and academic staff focused on improving communication within the university environment, developing effective negotiation processes, resolving disputes and disagreements arising in the course of academic activities, and forming clear and comprehensible oral and written messages. Participants engaged in interactive ice-breaking activities, analyses of real academic situations, group negotiation tasks, and non-verbal assessment exercises. These methods promoted professional self-reflection, enhanced collaboration, and deepened communicative skills.

Overall, both seminars were very productive. Participants enhanced their communication and negotiation skills, gained a deeper understanding of interpersonal processes, and became more willing to apply the acquired competencies in their academic and professional activities. The combination of theoretical material, practical exercises, and creative methods created an effective, engaging, and stimulating learning environment that fostered the participants’ personal and professional growth.