An immersive, AI-enabled interview simulation has been made available to MBA students at UCD Smurfit School in a bid to boost their recruitment outcomes. The simulation forms part of the school’s dedicated module on employability, known as the Leadership and Employability Advancement Programme (LEAP), delivered by its career services team. “By embedding immersive interview simulations into LEAP, we give students a safe, flexible way to practise realistically, improve quickly and build confidence, supported by coaching and reflection,” explained Louise Campbell, head of UCD Smurfit Careers Network. The simulation is designed to replicate a 30-minute, industry-standard behavioural interview, reflecting the pace, structure and probing follow-up questions that candidates can expect in real-world recruitment. Students’ performances, including interview transcripts and structured feedback, then join up with their core assessment and development pathway in LEAP. In turn, this is picked up on in human-led review and coaching conversations, creating a simple, integrated development loop. The new programme component has been developed in partnership with Wonda, a specialised platform for AI-fuelled conversation simulations with the ability to provide instant feedback. Wonda CEO Arnaud Dressen spoke of his excitement in bringing the technology to MBA career services and “letting students rehearse real employer conversations, learn from objective feedback and build confidence and measurable skills.” MBA LEAP co-lead and designer Bernie Burk recently received a Fulbright scholarship for her work on the programme. She is now completing a diploma in education on the subject of AI-augmented career education at Trinity College Dublin in collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology. TBD MBA CAREERS MODULE LAUNCHES AI INTERVIEW SIMULATION FOR STUDENTS SCHOOL : UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, University College Dublin, Ireland
UK SCHOOLS UNITE TO PROMOTE REGIONAL TALENT & OPPORTUNITIES SCHOOL : Lancaster University Management School, UK
MBA students from six different AMBA-accredited business schools in the UK came together in Leeds for the latest iteration of a conference designed to nurture a regional ecosystem of talent, opportunity and influence. MBA North is a collaborative initiative between institutions based in the North of England, home to approximately a quarter of the UK population and some of its largest cities. Those currently involved include Newcastle University Business School, Sheffield University Management School, University of Liverpool Management School, Lancaster University Management School (LUMS), Leeds University Business School and Durham University Business School. The initiative’s overriding goal is to provide a platform for students to discover and better understand the breadth of career opportunities available across the North of England, as well as to enhance the visibility of MBA talent in the region. Deputy head of careers at LUMS Noeleen Hammond Jones spoke of her pride in the collaboration and how it is “championing the strength of education in the North of England”. Around 160 people attended the MBA North Conference 2026, held at the Esther Simpson Building, a new campus development that forms part of Leeds University Business School. Featuring talks from industry leaders, interactive employer and alumni panels and specialised workshops, the event placed particular emphasis on facilitating interactions and early- stage relationships between MBA candidates and employers. It also sought to highlight regional industries, organisations and career pathways that participants may not have previously encountered. “The conference creates a space for our MBA students to build the social capital and connections needed to succeed in a fast-changing labour market, while helping retain exceptional talent in the region,” Hammond Jones added. Indeed, the collaboration is said to reflect a shared belief that the future success of the North of England region rests on its institutions taking a collective approach to growth and working together to empower talent. TBD
10 Ambition • ISSUE 2 • 2026
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