Actionable Learning

Experiential Learning Experiences

• Workshop at the Royal Dutch Army Barracks

  In collaboration with the 43 Gemechaniseerde Brigade of the Royal Dutch Army, we hold workshops in which participants explore their leadership skills in action and in a team setting. No matter whether they must enter a house without touching the ground, orient themselves in an unknown environment or take care of an ammunition box for 36 hours, creativity, collaboration, and leadership are crucial to master these challenges.

• Leadership Lab

  The leadership lab is a five-day field trip during which participants explore what it means to be an authentic leader who deeply understands their personal values, their impact on decision making, and how all this affects team members and other stakeholders. Participants practice contemporary forms of leadership, improve their practical leadership skills and tackle what it means to be a conscientious, ethical and responsible leader. This course most recently took place in Madrid, Spain, and previously in Dusseldorf, Germany.

• International Strategy

  This course offers an experiential learning experience by integrating a software-based business simulation, where participants act as executives of competing firms that are expanding their businesses abroad. Participants need to identify and evaluate opportunities and risks in foreign markets as well as the firms’ strengths and weaknesses. Following market entry, participants need to find and implement appropriate and responsible market development strategies. Beyond the business simulation’s practical relevance, the team-based decision-making processes during the simulation also improve the participants’ communication and leadership skills.

  Check out the video of a business stimulation

• Final Graduation Project (FGP)

  As part of your MBA journey at VU Amsterdam, the Graduation Project (GP) is a vital component that every graduating student is required to complete. During the last four months of the programme, you will have the opportunity to work individually on a real-world business problem. The GP allows you to tackle a business challenge that is relevant to your current organisation or explore an idea for your own start-up. The ultimate goal is to contribute to resolving a concrete business problem by generating and disseminating knowledge using an evidence and science-based approach.

  Your GP will involve qualitative or quantitative data collection and analyses, ensuring a rigorous and analytical approach to problem-solving. This project serves as a platform to apply the concepts and skills you have acquired throughout the programme to address practical business issues. The topics covered in previous GPs have encompassed a wide range of areas, including international business, responsible leadership, cross-cultural dynamics, and entrepreneurship. Specific analyses conducted have included profitability optimisation, market entry strategies, early-stage ventures, market research, new product launches, competitor analysis, and much more.

  The GP provides an invaluable opportunity to demonstrate your mastery of business concepts, research methodologies, and critical thinking skills. It allows you to make a tangible impact by proposing innovative solutions and strategies to address real-world business challenges. Through the GP, you will showcase your ability to apply your MBA knowledge to practical situations, further enhancing your credentials and preparing you for success in your future endeavours.