Launching the cycle of professionals’ seminars, and setting an identity of social intelligence, Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (PSUAD) received Mr. Winfried Schäfer; Head Coach of UAE League side Al-Ain Football Club yesterday at its campus. The visit was organized by the Languages and Business Department; headed by Dr. Ronald Perlwitz.  

Mr. Schäfer discussed with students his international experience in Germany, Africa and the UAE, and his methods of managing cross-cultural situations. He remarked: “As modern football clubs today are very intercultural from both the players and the management ends. It is important to have the skills of managing people from different cultures and building a team combining them”.

Dr. Perlwitz, Head of Languages and Business studies added: “students with their language and business skills will benefit from such a close link to a club like Al Ain Football Club that employs people from various countries. They will relate to a great extent to the well-demonstrated examples and identify with the importance of cross-cultural interaction”.

Mr. Schäfer is one of Germany’s most famous football coaches and managers; and a former player as well. As a manager, he led Karlsruhe to the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup in the 1993-1994 season and won the African Nations Cup in 2002 with Cameroon. In 2006 he won the UAE national championship with Al-Ahli Football Club.