SCHOOL STRATEGY
Through our partnership with Cappfinity, strengths development is embedded across the curriculum rather than treated as an optional add-on. This year, more than 3,400 students engaged with strengths-based diagnostics and development activities, building self‑awareness, confidence and career readiness. Putting theory into practice Work-integrated learning further strengthens this model. Consultancy projects, placements, internships and live business challenges allow students to test theoretical insight in real organisational contexts. Such experiences bridge the gap between academic knowledge and professional practice, helping students build resilience and adaptability while affirming the relevance of their studies. Digital transformation reinforces the importance of this approach. AI and advanced analytics are now embedded across sectors such as finance, marketing and logistics. Business schools must, therefore, ensure that graduates understand both how to use digital technologies and how to critically evaluate their implications. Teaching students to engage thoughtfully with emerging technologies is essential if they are to navigate the future of work. Rethinking sustainability & ethical leadership Sustainability presents a parallel challenge. For decades, business education was criticised for favouring shareholder value above broader societal concerns. As professor of business administration at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business Robert Edward Freeman famously argued, the purpose of business is not simply to maximise shareholder returns, but to create value for a wider network of stakeholders, including employees, communities and society. The climate crisis, regulatory pressures and shifting consumer expectations now make this perspective unavoidable. Business schools must equip graduates to think critically about environmental responsibility, ethical leadership and long-term value creation. These shifts require a broader vision of business education; in a period of financial constraint and volatility, educational ambition must expand rather than contract. Preparing work-ready graduates The complexity of contemporary business demands graduates who can think systemically, adapt quickly and act responsibly in uncertain environments. Achieving this requires intentional curriculum design, innovative pedagogy and personalised learning at scale. The aim is not simply to deliver degrees efficiently but to help every student recognise and develop their potential. Business schools have long been central to the sustainability of universities; nowadays, they must also be central to the reinvention of higher education itself. By designing curricula that combine technological fluency, ethical awareness, global understanding and strengths-based personal development, modern business schools can prepare graduates not only to navigate the future of work, but to shape it too.
business practices, research-informed pedagogy and curriculum design aligned with industry and accreditation standards. Together, they develop both disciplinary expertise and the wider capabilities needed in a rapidly changing workforce. Digital fluency prepares students to work confidently with emerging technologies and data-driven decision-making. Global perspectives cultivate cultural awareness and the ability to collaborate across borders. Holistic skills development focuses on leadership, communication and problem-solving, while sustainability principles ensure graduates understand the environmental and social consequences of business decisions. Personalised learning environments Equally important is the way these principles are delivered in practice. If business schools are expanding undergraduate cohorts while maintaining high expectations for student experience, pedagogy must evolve. Traditional lecture-dominated models struggle to provide personalised engagement at scale. Instead, teaching environments must combine active learning approaches, digitally enhanced delivery and structured personal development frameworks. One of the most powerful tools in achieving this balance is the adoption of strengths-based education. MMU Business School has worked in a long-standing partnership with Cappfinity to embed industry-relevant, strengths-based development across the student journey. This approach recognises that every student brings distinct talents and motivations. Rather than focusing on weaknesses, it encourages students to identify, develop and apply their strengths. Students who understand their strengths show higher engagement and confidence, communicate their capabilities more effectively and make better-informed career decisions. For educators, strengths‑based frameworks offer a powerful mechanism for delivering personalised development within large cohorts. Through structured diagnostics, coaching conversations and reflective activities, students are able to develop a clearer understanding of their own potential and how it translates into professional environments.
BIOGRAPHY Dr Katharina De Vita is director of education for the Faculty of Business & Law at Manchester Metropolitan University and a reader in innovation within MMU Business School’s Department of Strategy, Enterprise & Sustainability. In addition, she is on the board of the International Society for Professional Innovation Management’s special interest group for teaching & coaching and governor of Barking and Dagenham College, where she sits on the curriculum & quality committee. Her speaking engagements have included presentations for organisations such as the European Council for Business Education and the British Accounting & Finance Association; she also regularly addresses audiences at universities nationwide
Ambition • ISSUE 5 • 2026 27
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