AMBA & BGA EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS
sessions, online recruitment/admissions open events, taster sessions and demonstrations to colleagues within the wider university and sector have all been held via SmartStage. We’ve seen particularly strong results using it for student recruitment activities, with events for prospective students generating high engagement rates and giving attendees a much better sense of what studying at WBS would be like. Even for those interested in face-to-face programmes, attendees of these SmartStage‑delivered sessions get an insight into how the school likes to do things differently and champions new technologies.” Are there any plans to use the school’s SmartStage technology to deliver any in-person programme components? For example, case studies, role playing or project presentations delivered by students to industry panels. “We’re continuing to evolve how we use the platform to support all our programmes. Given the preparation and support needed, we’ve oriented it towards enabling synchronous delivery to take place, but we certainly don’t rule out allowing access to it for students in the future for particular purposes. It has allowed us to deliver high-quality content for hybrid teaching– the best example is our Business in Practice module, which is run across our master’s programmes, where we have hundreds of students in the building in small groups undertaking a simulation in ‘real time’ and solving industry challenges. Briefings and curveballs are introduced at different junctures and broadcast live from the SmartStage at the same time to enable a dynamic and ever- changing environment.” While its output is delivered virtually, the Stage occupies a physical space at the school. Why is its location important? “SmartStage represents a significant investment by the school, so we’re proud of it and want to show it off. It’s also symbolic of how we want to push boundaries and evolve our teaching delivery, so while it’s closed off when we’re livestreaming, it’s located in a glass-fronted room and everyone in the school can peer into the studio and see the Stage and its tech when it’s not in use.” How have you measured the platform’s success and its impact on both students and faculty to date? “We’ve seen notable increases in student satisfaction on the modules where SmartStage has been used. These have been captured in our module evaluations, as well as via qualitative comments provided from students and our staff-student liaison committees. We also have two active research projects underway to evaluate the experience of both staff and students in using the Stage. We’re keen to improve and enhance our offer further to ensure that the content is distinctive, sector leading and genuinely enhances the student experience. “We’ve also taken the time to understand the experience of users through an accessibility lens. We undertook this evaluation
initially when installing SmartStage to ensure that colleagues could deliver effectively via the platform. Now that it’s operational, our focus is on understanding how we use it and whether it has created any unintended barriers to learning. These projects are iterative and ongoing, but we’re committed to ensuring the best and most equitable experience possible for all.” How has the school’s development of SmartStage impacted on its interactions with potential partners, from companies and NGOs to other business schools? “Whenever we mention the SmartStage, everyone is very excited to learn more about how we use the technology. We have lots of non-WBS colleagues using the SmartStage to contribute towards panel discussions, provide guest lectures and amplify their voice. We’ve also provided a number of tours and demonstrations of our facilities for colleagues across the sector, including deans and senior colleagues at other UK business schools and further afield. “While our current focus is on delivering high-quality experiences for our students and staff, we are also developing a commercial model whereby companies and external organisations can hire the facility to deliver their own briefings and training programmes in partnership with us. The commercialisation of the platform could create a new revenue stream and offers an opportunity for us to demonstrate our innovations and develop closer links with both new and established partners.”
Ambition • ISSUE 4 • 2025 41
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