1) How are you going to use business simulations to create a coherent offer?
The simulations are not a standalone project. They become the centre and not an addon. The purpose is to create a strand of experiential learning from the foundation level up to masters level. This creates a coherence in what the school has to offer and gives an advantage for students following their studies through with Liverpool Business school. This improves the retention of students between levels of study which is beneficial for the university, in turn it multiplies the benefits of the experiential learning throughout the learning journey of the students, rather than adding to it year on year with incoherent 'addons' along the way.
2) How do you contribute to our local community?
Trying to make sure that all the students are getting an experience that they did not have at school and have a competitive advantage over other local schools. The partnership gave the school an opportunity for students to apply the knowledge they already had coming into university and develop that knowledge through the repetition of application through a range of simulations as they progressed. For example starting with a foundational simulation which largely will be reinforcing existing knowledge they may have learned in their A levels with the higher education of running a small business with the guidance of their university academics. At the higher end the masters students are having that experience with the guidance of their masters degree academics and applying what they've learned in prior years to the role of a CFO for a global business in a different simulation. This approach also helps the students break away from a mind-set limited by focusing their performance on a single assessment at the end of the course to a mind set of learning throughout their higher educational journey. Assessment therefore becomes a natural part of the course rather than the focus. This creates a shift from learning being a destination and more of a journey which develops the life long learning mindset that many employers seek.
3) How can you ensure you have positive graduate outcomes?
A key metric of UK education is what graduates go on to do after University. New applicants will often look at the outcomes of graduating from a University when deciding where to go to. In short it is a metric that attracts everything from valuable and high quality candidates to funding from the private sector and research grants. Implementing simulations through a strategic partnership equips students with the core attributes and skills required to make them more employable after graduation. These include remote working skills, technical skills, teamwork skills, practical experience working in and running a company. In addition to this the competitive aspect of the simulations, the gamification and the acknowledgment of achievement through the leader boards and certifications give graduates the experience and evidence to support the claims made in cover letters or an interview while enriching their CV's. The class grade and title of their degrees become an added bonus to the real world capabilities they acquire.
4) What skills do your students need?
Learning is a skill that students need and although the traditional 'being lectured to' model does teach them that, it is slow and ultimately is not the way human beings learn best. Neurologically, humans learn through play. In many ways the ultimate guide to experiential learning is a nursery school where children are learning the basics without knowing they are learning at all. In many higher educational systems students tend to be very passive in their learning because of the sudden and abrupt shift to the 'sage on a stage' teacher-student relationship. A strategic partnership for business simulations across the business school create a business school where interactive learning is at the centre. The virtual world becomes the playground of the academics and students to engage in together. With this the 'sage on the stage' becomes the 'guide on the side' which puts the student at centre stage instead. By enabling students to be the masters of their own learning they are developing a fundamental skill, how to learn. They can then apply that honed skill to the life goals of their choice as they move to a higher degree of education or employment.
5) How does this fit in with the overall student experience at your university?
Business simulations can be complex which creates a learning climate that creates opportunities to make mistakes and learn. Having the ability to work with the provider in a strategic partnership allows academic institutions to create the 'playground' that is right for their academic team and the students they serve. By removing the fear of failure the course becomes more fun and failure becomes just another lesson they are eager to learn in order to 'get back on the bicycle'. This makes being reflective about what they learn and the choices they make throughout university a fun part of the university experience, from who they decide to team up with, what lessons they missed or a single decision they made years ago on their first simulation.