When our partnership with UCL opens new doors

Through the benefits of a cooperation agreement with University College London (UCL), our Bachelor's in Economics and Management students can access the best of both worlds, our family-sized campus as well as the hundreds of UCL Societies, UCL's facilities and UCL’s vibrant student life.

Amine Athamena, Year 3 student specialising in Management, is a brilliant example of how our partnership with UCL allows our students to develop professional networks and opportunities. We asked him how he has made the most of this unique partnership.

Our campus's partnership with UCL is unique. Can you tell us how it has added to your overall London student experience?

For me, the partnership with UCL was an eye-opener and life-changing experience. UCL has an undisputable reputation for being one of the best universities worldwide. It helped me quite significantly to enrich my experience in London by meeting talented and inspiring people from different walks of life.

I had the opportunity to join many societies such as UCL Football Club where I was a player of the 1^st Team, UCL Entrepreneurs, UCL Business Society, and UCL Guild. I made many friends from UCL who are studying Economics, Philosophy, Astrophysics as well as Real Estate, so we could discuss various topics and create synergies with high-impact. This diversity and richness of backgrounds are to me the main added-value.

Furthermore, the partnership gives you access to UCL's high-quality facilities including its gym and library, which has been very useful during the exam period or to relax a little bit during the year and prepare well for the finals.

How do you believe the professional opportunities you have been exposed to as a result of the Dauphine/UCL partnership will benefit you in the future?

It has been truly beneficial because it helped me build my networks and my skills. Indeed, the partnership allowed me to get in contact with managers from top-tier companies such as BCG, McKinsey, BlackRock and Blackstone during competitions organised by UCL Business Society and UCL Entrepreneurs.

Also, I was selected as a consultant for 6 months at 180 Degrees Consulting, the world’s largest consultancy for non-profits & social enterprises. I've taken the challenge in parallel with my studies at Dauphine, which ended up being an ideal way to cross-fertilise and employ what I was learning straight into real problems. I practiced a lot for consulting cases and presentations, learning crucial problem-solving and communication skills such as the Top-Down approach used by consultants. It gained experience in delivering high-quality strategic and operational consultancy services while adding value to organisations, making a direct impact to the world. All of this has helped me defined 

What kind of networking opportunities does the Dauphine x UCL partnership offer?

I participated in a variety of events such as galas, networking dinners, competitions and conferences. I had the outstanding opportunity to attend the Impact Investment Championship 2022 alongside my great team members: Yoann Bruniaux, Camille Robin, Ilias Dkhaili, and Hugo Hervins. We finished in the top 4 best presentations of the day or even the DECA, the world’s largest business case competition organised by UCL Business Society sponsored by Tiffany & Co.

Moreover, I had the chance to participate in the Cambridge Start-Up Ball with my friends from Year 1 and 3. It was a fantastic privilege to partake in the first inauguration of the Entrepreneur Ball, the Europe's top tech and startup celebration in the UK hosted by Seedery at University of Cambridge. It was a unique way to develop my network in London, and I'm sure it will be a competitive asset for my future entrepreneurial venture. As a future social entrepreneur, it's an absolute pleasure to bring together new synergies, business ideas and innovative projects for the most positive impact on our society - with other students from both UCL and Dauphine, coming from all over the world.

What foreign language did you study at UCL and how do you believe it will accelerate your career?

I am a french native, I am also of Algerian origin so Arabic and French are my two mother tongues. During this year spent in London, I greatly polished my English for professional use.

The foreign language class that I took at UCL was Spanish. I enjoyed developing my communication both speaking and writing with lots of practice in a small-sized group. Thanks to these UCL classes, I felt that I leveled up my Spanish. I think that being able to speak 4 languages correctly is a fantastic asset that will also help me to accelerate my entrepreneurial career.

More about Amine's background...

Former high level footballer student, Amine had to change his plan following injury. He followed an entrepreneurial course at emlyon business school then a two-year degree in business management, before completing his study with Dauphine. The Bachelor’s programme combines both the excellence and international outlook he was looking for. 

Amine wishes to become a social entrepreneur in education, aiming at reducing social inequalities for low income students. He’s currently passing the oral for a Master in Social Policy and Social Innovation at Sciences Po Paris. We wish him good luck and the very best for his future endeavours!