Learning and Teaching Philosophy | London Business School

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London Business School
Learning and Teaching Philosophy

Our mission is to enable our learners (students, participants, and alumni) and the broader business community to learn how to think, not what to think. We do this by providing transformative education programmes founded on four principles: research excellence, diversity, innovation and learning in practice.

1. Research-driven learning and teaching

Research is at the heart of what we do at London Business School. Our faculty works on problems of practical relevance for individuals, firms, industries and governments, using and developing rigorous and cutting-edge methodologies grounded in diverse disciplines that include economics, psychology, mathematics, computer science and sociology. We push the boundaries of what is known and inform key decision-makers and public discourse. We leverage our research expertise to create learning experiences that have a transformative effect on our community and its wider reach.

Our curriculum is informed by faculty research, enabling our learners to develop a deeper and more rigorous understanding of different subjects based on the latest findings and thinking from our research. We bring to the classroom, and critically assess, research findings relating to real-world challenges that communities, businesses and industries face. Through this, we enhance the utility of our community at large and enable continuous learning.

Research is brought to life throughout the learning experience. An example of this is our use of case studies to illustrate real-world situations and show how research can be applied effectively across industries and markets. Through case analysis and collaborative learning, we develop interrogative and creative thinkers with the capacity to learn independently and collaboratively.

2. Diversity in the learning experience

Our learners, faculty and staff come from diverse cultures, nationalities and industries (for example, our recent faculty and student cohort represented over 20 and 100 nationalities respectively). With a huge range of experience and at various career stages, learners, faculty and staff together make up the London Business School community. This breadth of community is what enables the diversity of opinion and perspective that gives the School its distinctive character.

Our faculty cultivate an environment, both within and outside the classroom, where learners are inspired to share their expertise and challenge each other’s perspectives. The peer-learning focus, including active class discussions and team assignments, complements the collaborative network that lives beyond the programmes.

The School enables students to engage with our diverse community by supporting activities outside the classroom, such as the many student-led initiatives, research institutes, mentoring programmes and global business opportunities. Members of the community connect across the School through clubs, societies, events and life-long membership of the alumni network.

Guided by the latest developments in learning technology, we strive to create a diverse collection of learning resources, including simulations and case studies. These resources enable our learners to grasp complicated ideas by replicating scenarios our learners would find themselves in the business world in different ways. Faculty embed these resources in their teaching, supported by group work and guest speakers.

3. Innovation

Innovation in learning informs everything we do, in the classroom and beyond. Faculty draw on their expertise in business and industry to deliver impactful learning experiences. Our deep relationships with industry, combined with rigorous academic research, result in dynamic and innovative teaching. As a leading centre of global business research, we draw on our traditional values of academic rigour and exploration, and continuously adopt new approaches through experimentation and discovery.

The School’s portfolio of programmes constantly evolves as new courses are introduced to address contemporary issues and fulfil the ambitions of our learners. Our approach to learning stretches beyond technical skillsets and equips learners with the ability to analyse their organisations and industries critically and deliver meaningful impact.

The School invests in innovation in teaching and learning. Underpinned by evidence and industry good practice, we have dedicated resources for the delivery of new learning initiatives. We strive to develop and continuously enhance our delivery mechanisms and create an immersive learning experience. This approach is evidenced by the creation of specialist learning environments, including our state-of-the-art teaching hub in an iconic central London building, and dedicated, technology-driven simulations that deliver an active and immersive learning experience.

4. Learning in practice

The business world is constantly evolving as new ideas lead to innovation in business practices and models, in the era of continuous technology disruption.

Our students need not only an holistic understanding of business fundamentals, but also the skills to apply and evolve their understanding across different industries, countries and cultures and rapidly changing environments.

With their research focus, our faculty thoroughly understand the fundamentals of business concepts, and continuously analyse the challenges and changes business environments constantly face today. Faculty use their deep, evidence-based knowledge of their specialist areas in designing our courses. Being actively engaged in research and enquiry enables our faculty to provide our learners with a critical view of business fundamentals and how to deal with evolving challenges. Critical thinking, a fundamental part of research and dealing with an evolving business environment, is embedded in all of our courses.

Enriched by a practice-based view, our research-active faculty enable our learners to connect theory and practice, apply knowledge in context, and develop comparative advantage. By actively promoting diversity of views and backgrounds in our community, we enable our learners to learn from each other and challenge the way they think.

Experiential learning is fundamental to our approach to ensure our learners can apply what they learn in a variety of different industries and settings. This enables our learners to gain an holistic view of the business environment. Faculty help them to develop problem-solving abilities and grow as business leaders by giving them a platform to experiment and practice. Learners deploy these skills in the real world across four continents, applying their knowledge in industries, markets and cultures on projects that require them to synthesise the knowledge and skills gained across their courses. This has been developed through our extensive partnerships with industry leaders. Benefiting from advanced research and business practice, our learners develop the critical-thinking skills needed to analyse, evaluate and deliver sustainable solutions to business and broader social problems. These experiences transcend organisational boundaries and intellectual disciplines, and learners build relationships with the organisation and contribute to the community and its network.

Professional development is an integral part of business education at LBS to prepare our learners to work effectively and efficiently. Beyond the classroom, the School and community work in unison to provide additional professional development through coaching, mentoring and career support. Learners in Degree Education engage in global experiences and exchange programmes with other prestigious business schools around the world. Student-led club activities enable them to engage with their peers across a variety of specialisms, interests and affinity groups. Learners in Executive Education are exposed to collaborations with peers from other institutions and organisations, such as the Global Business Consortium.

To promote continuous research and innovation in business knowledge and education, the School supports our internationally renowned PhD Programme, which attracts talented individuals from leading global institutions. PhD students are supported and mentored by our world-class faculty, with whom they work closely to develop the research and learning environment. Many of our PhD students go on to have high-profile academic careers in prestigious business schools around the world.

Delivering meaningful impact is at the heart of the School’s approach to learning. It is fundamental to our aim to transform and stretch individuals as people and in their careers. The learning experience is complemented by opportunities to develop crucial skills in leadership, problem-solving and strategic decision-making. Learners work with experts who encourage them to reflect critically on their thinking, develop a true growth mindset, and pursue their aims and ambitions fearlessly. The success of the School’s practice-based approach enables students to succeed rapidly in their careers; evidenced by the fact that over 90% of our degree-programme graduates accept employment offers within three months of graduation.